Haste with which Maharashtra govt acted in Aarey condemnable: NCP

Mumbai: The opposition NCP on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court decision on Aarey, and blamed the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government for the "haste" with which it chopped trees there in the last couple of days.

"The haste with which the Maharashtra Government acted over the weekend in cutting the trees is condemnable," NCP leader Supriya Sule said.

"The Supreme Court decision on Aarey is welcome. However what is worrying is the admission of the Maharashtra Government in the SC that the necessary number of trees have already been cut," Sule tweeted.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit thanked the Supreme Court for ruling in favour of the student activists in the Aarey matter. "Thank you #SupremeCourt for standing by the protectors of #Nature. #SaveAarey @ConserveAarey," he tweeted.

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti took potshots on Twitter to say that the issue of trees in the Aarey was more important than Kashmiri lives. "Aarey trees > Kashmiri lives," she tweeted on Monday.

The Supreme Court on Monday restrained authorities from cutting anymore trees in Mumbai's Aarey to set up a Metro car shed.

A special bench comprising justices Arun Mishra and Ashok Bhushan said it will have to examine the entire thing and posted the matter for hearing on October 21 before its forest bench.

"Don't cut anything now," the bench said.