New Delhi: A bizarre incident has emerged from United States’ New Jersey, where a man chopped down 32 trees belonging to his neighbour in order to get a better skyline view. The New York Post reported that the man may now face fines and replacement fees amounting to over USD 1.5 million (Rs 12,31,44,375).
40-year-old Samih Shinway stated that his neighbour named Grant Haber had cut down a quarter acre of his beautiful oak trees, maples, and birches.
“It breaks my heart. It angers me. These trees take a very long time to grow,” the New York Post quoted Shinway as saying.
Grant Haber, the CEO of an antiterrorism company, who maliciously slashed his neighbour’s trees, has now been slapped with an initial fine of USD 32,000. This equates to USD 1,000 (Rs 26,27,080 – Rs 82,096) per tree he unlawfully cut down.
According to the state law, Haber will also be required to replace the ‘illegally removed’ trees with ‘another of like or superior species.’
Shinway also demanded the price of adding new soil, cleaning up and removing invasive species – which will cost approx. USD 1.5 million (Rs 12,31,44,375).
The New York Post reported that the legal dispute between the two neighbours began in March of this year when Shinway claimed to have caught some workers cutting down trees on his property.
“I heard multiple chainsaws in the distance and hopped on a four-wheeler and drove over to investigate,” he said.
When the 40-year-old reached the spot, he found a bunch of chainsaw-sliced conifers aged between 20 to 150 years old. “I saw a landscape truck, a dump truck-style truck, with a big, large shredder, and four landscape contractors on my property. They said…’The owner wanted a view of the city and the mountain range'” the NYP quoted Shinway as saying.
He further told the Post that the tree cutters had climbed a fence clearly invading into his property line. Following this he called the cops who stopped the workers.
The 40-year-old stated that he really care about the trees and that is why he took the action.
“To cut 40 trees and leave them to waste for no reason, that’s insane. I just want everything replaced,” Shinway added.
According to New York Post, Haber is now confronted with a minimum of 32 counts of illegal tree removal and one trespassing charge. Additionally, the two contractors hired by him for the tree chopping may face an extra fine of USD 400,000 (Rs 3,28,38,500).
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