Netizens were rustled by news of an elderly man in Shanghai who was fined 140,000 yuan (US$21,686) for trimming his own tree.
Netizens were rustled by news of an elderly man in Shanghai who was fined 140,000 yuan (US$21,686) for trimming his own tree. According to media reports, the man surnamed Li spent 10,000 yuan (US$1,549) on the camphor tree several years ago and planted it “outside his yard,” although they were unclear where exactly. When the tree grew tall enough to block the sun, Li had it trimmed back. But urban management officers charged Li with “deforestation” and fined him based on the tree’s appraised value. Authorities argued the tree was planted in a public place and is considered city property. Netizens, however, took up the cudgel for Li, asking why authorities should profit from a tree they did not pay for. Media reported that Li had previously asked the city to help trim the tree, but urban management refused, saying they were understaffed. Even China Central Television Station (CCTV) chimed in with a commentary, criticizing the urban management department and saying that rigid law enforcement is much more harmful than trimming a tree.
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