Shed construction in Aarey to continue: SC
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it was not stopping the construction of Metro shed project in Mumbai’s prominent green lung Aarey Colony. A bench of justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta sought a status report with pictures on plantation, transplantation and felling of trees in Aarey colony area. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta,, assured that no further tree felling is being done in Aarey colony.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said it is not stopping the construction of Metro shed project in Mumbai’s prominent green lung Aarey Colony, where protests were held against cutting of trees for the work.
A bench of justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta sought a status report with pictures on plantation, transplantation and felling of trees in Aarey colony area of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the civic body BMC, assured the bench that no further tree felling is being done in Aarey colony and complete status quo is being maintained following the apex court’s last order. The top court posted the matter for further hearing in November.
The apex court had earlier decided to register as PIL a letter addressed to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi by law student Rishav Ranjan seeking a stay on cutting of trees.
The Bombay High Court had on October 4 refused to declare Aarey Colony a forest and declined to quash the Mumbai municipal corporation’s decision to allow felling of over 2,600 trees in the green zone to set up a metro car shed.
The letter states, “As we write this letter to you Mumbai authorities continue to kill the lungs of Mumbai i.e Aarey forest by clearing of trees near Mithi river bank and according to news reports 1,500 trees have already been cleared by authorities.
“Not only this but our friends are put in jail who were peacefully organising a vigil against acts of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) with Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) at the site.” The letter said.