By Jamie Ee Wen Wei

WHEN Mr Foo Suan Pin got a contractor to chop down three fruit trees in his garden in the Holland Road area in September 2007, it did not occur to him that he was committing a crime.

But in February this year, he was slapped with a $6,000 fine after he submitted a plan to the authorities for approval of construction works to his house.

The reason? He had removed trees in a tree conservation area.

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