SC TO HEAR AAREY TREE FELLING CASE IN JANUARY 2020
April 2019: The Supreme Court (SC) dismisses an application to look into alternative sites available for locating the Aarey car depot July: The Bombay HC permits the tree authority to start functioning
August: The tree authority permits felling of trees at Aarey Experts walk out saying they did not know what they voted for
September: Environmentalists move HC against the tree authority’s permission The HC says they will hear all pending matters regarding Aarey on a day to day basis by the end of the month
October: The Bombay high court (HC) dismisses petitions challenging tree felling at Aarey and asks the petitioners to take the matter to the SC On the night of October 4, amid huge protests from citizens and environmentalists, MMRC begins felling trees 29 activists arrested and charged under sections of the Indian Penal Code after clashes with police when tree felling was underway
October 6: The SC sets up a special bench to hear petitions challenging the felling of trees in Mumbai’s Aarey Milk Colony The protesters are granted bail A notice is put up by the SC registry, saying the court has taken suo motu cognisance of a letter, dated October 6, written by law students, and set up a special bench October 7: SC says no more trees are to be cut in Aarey MMRC releases a statement saying it has cut 2,141 of the 2,185 trees to be felled for construction of the shed, which is effectively 97% of the trees needed to be cleared for the project
October 22: MMRC doubles the height of barricades around the Metro-3 car depot site SC bench seeks a status report on plantation, transplantation, felling of trees, and details of any other construction activities
November 16: The government seeks more time to submit responses SC schedules matter for December 16
November 29: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray stays any further felling of trees and stops further work on the car shed at Aarey
December 16: SC extends its interim order that had stayed the felling of trees at the car shed site The matter is scheduled for hearing in January 2020
December 1: CM Uddhav Thackeray issues orders to withdraw cases against 29 activists who were arrested and charged under sections
332 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860
December 11: The state appoints a committee to identify viable alternatives to the car shed site at Aarey Colony The committee is asked to submit its report in two weeks, which end on December 25