Activist moves court over approval to axe 2,600 trees

Mumbai: Environmental activist Zoru Bathena Tuesday moved the Bombay high court against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) decision granting permission for the felling and transplantation of over 2,600 trees from Aarey to make way for a metro carshed.

He contended that the approval was not in accordance with a previous order of the high court.

According to Mr Bathena, on August 29, the BMC tree authority, while granting permission for felling of the trees, did not follow due process.

He requested the court to direct the BMC to submit all details of the tree authority’s meeting in which the decision was taken.

He also requested the court to stay the resolution approving felling of these trees until further orders of this court.

The authority approved the felling of 2,185 trees and transplantion (uprooting trees from the original spot and replanting them at an alternate spot) of 461 trees from the area.

An approval from the Tree Authority is mandatory for felling more than 20 trees at any given time at any place in the city. The authority has 19 members at present, including the BMC commissioner.

Of these, five are independent experts nominated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation as per its own rules and the HC's previous orders. As per the petition, the proposal was approved by a majority of 8:6.

Two members, who are corporators, walked out over differences with the decision, and two independent expert members remained absent from the meeting, it said.

Besides, there was “no discussion on why six members disagreed with the proposal to fell the trees,” the plea contended.