Mumbai: The Bombay high court has directed the BMC commissioner to decide on an application by an Andheri east-based old age home maintained by a Catholic missionary, for felling of a few trees for reconstruction of the shelter which is in a dilapidated condition.
The civic body had refused permission on grounds that there was a high court stay on razing trees. In light of the plight of the 40 inmates of the old age home and with a view towards their safety, the court directed the civic commissioner to consider the application of the home at the earliest.
A division bench of Justice A.S. Oka and Justice Riyaz Chagla was hearing a writ petition filed by the Society of the Home for the Aged, a charitable organisation run by a group of nuns at Andheri east.
The petition prayed for directions to the BMC commissioner to grant the home permission to fell a few trees obstructing construction of a new building to house the home’s aged inmates.
After hearing the submissions, the bench said that as the lives of the 40 inmates and 12 nuns of the old age home were in danger, there was an urgent need to allow axing of the trees to give way for construction of a newbuilding.
