NEW DELHI, Apr 17: The Supreme Court on Monday fined the Mumbai Metro rail Rs 10 lakhs for making an attempt to reach the court’s jurisdiction by felling of trees in the Aarey Colony in excess of permission granted which had limited it to fell only 84 trees.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala said it was improper on Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited’s (MMRCL) part to move the tree authority for felling of any trees in excess of 84.
The court directed MMRCL to pay Rs 10 lakhs within a period of two weeks to the conservator of forests. The conservator shall ensure that all afforestation which has been directed is completed,” the bench said.
The top court, however, permitted the company to fell another 177 trees from Aarey Forest saying a stay on tree felling would lead to the public project being brought to a standstill which is not desirable.
“We request the director of IIT Bombay to depute a team for the purpose of verifying compliance. A report should be submitted to this court in three weeks,” it added.
The apex court had in 2019 taken suo motu cognisance of a letter petition addressed to the Chief Justice of India by law student Rishav Ranjan seeking a stay on the felling of trees in the colony.
(Manas Dasgupta)
