Mumbai | Jagran News Desk: The Bombay High Court on Saturday refused to grant a stay on cutting of trees in Mumbai's Aarey Colony to make way for a metro car shed. A division bench, which included justice SC Dharmadhikari and AK Menon, rejected the plea to stay the felling of trees in Aarey Colony.
A fresh application was filed by some environmental activists on Saturday seeking a stay on the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL's) action of chopping 2656 trees in the area.
In the application, the activists sought to stay on MMRCL’s action for a week so that they could move the Supreme Court against the High Court’s order. The bench, however, disposed of their application.
The Bombay High Court on Friday had dismissed the petition challenging the felling of over 2,500 trees. Hours after the court’s order, the BMC started cutting the trees in the Aarey colony. However, they were met with stiff resistance from environmental activists.
In order to control the situation, the Mumbai police imposed Section-144 in the region and deployed additional forces.
“Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC imposed in the area near the metro-rail project site in Aarey Forest. A protest was held last night at Aarey Forest against the felling of trees, after the Bombay High Court order,” news agency ANI quoted Mumbai Police PRO as saying.
Recommended For You
Also Read | 10 injured in grenade attack outside DC's office in Kashmir's Anantnag
The police also arrested 29 people including six women. They were later sent to judicial custody by Borivali Court.
"We have arrested 29 protesters. Six of them are women. Some of them had manhandled and beaten the police personnel deployed in Aarey Colony and obstructed them from discharging their duty," news agency PTI quoted Mumbai Police as saying.
However, Union Minister of Environment Prakash Javadekar backed the cutting of trees and said that several trees were felled for Delhi Metro too.
“Bombay High Court has ruled that it's not a forest. When the first Delhi metro station was to be constructed, 20-25 trees were to be cut, people had protested then too, but for each tree cut, five trees were planted,” Javadekar said.
Also Read | Monsoon fury: Centre releases Rs 213.75 crore as rains wreak havoc in Bihar | 10 points
“In Delhi, 271 metro stations have been made and tree cover has also increased. This is development and preservation of nature,” he added.
The High Court on Friday had dismissed all petitions against the felling of over 2,500 trees for a Mumbai metro depot saying that the matter is pending before the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal.
“The issue is pending before the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal. Hence, we are dismissing the petition on the principle of commonality and not on merits,” the court had said on Friday.