After activists approach CJI, Supreme Court to take up Aarey PIL today

Police had imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Aarey, restricting movements and gathering of groups, on Saturday, which was extended on Sunday as well.

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu congisance of Mumbai’s Aarey tree felling case today after a delegation of students led by a Delhi law student wrote to the Chief Justice of India seeking his intervention to put a halt to the cutting of trees by municipal corporation of Greater Mumbai for construction of a car shed for a metro station in Aarey area of the metropolitan city.

A student delegation showing a copy of the letter to TV reporters which they submitted in Supreme Court to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to request him to take cognizance in Aarey Forest issue for stay in Tree axing undertaken by Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai along with Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation and Mumbai Police.(Burhaan Kinu/ HT Photo)

Large protests by locals and environmentalists have taken place in the last three days since the Bombay High Court refused to stay the civic body’s order for chopping of thousands of trees for the project.

Police had imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Aarey, restricting movements and gathering of groups, on Saturday, which was extended on Sunday as well.

“As we write this letter to you the Mumbai Authorities continue to kill the lungs of Mumbai, that is, Aarey Forest, by clearing of trees near Mithi river bank and according to news reports 1,500 trees have already been cleared by the authorities,” ANI quoted excerpt from the letter to Chief Justice Gogoi by Rishav Ranjan, a law student of Lloyd Law College, Greater Noida.

The Supreme Court issued a notice late on Sunday to announce forming of a special bench to hear the matter at 10 am on Monday, October 7. The case has been registered as a public interest litigation.

On Saturday, Bombay High Court refused to entertain urgent hearing in the matter. Justice SC Dharmadhikar refused urgent mentioning in the case and asked the petitioners to approach Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, said an agency report.

Following which the protest ensued in which 38 people were arrested out of which 29 were produced before the Borivali Court, which sent them to judicial custody.

“Not only this, but our friends are put in jail who were peacefully organising a vigil against the acts of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) with the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) at the site. They aren’t able to talk to their parents and relatives,” reads the representation, quoted by ANI.

“We want the Supreme Court should immediately give orders to stop the axing of the tress so that at least some tress out of more than 2,700 could be saved,” said Ranjan.

Rajnan’s letter further claimed that the proposed car shed will occupy 33-hectare land at Aarey which located on the bank of the Mithi river of many tributaries and channels flowing to it. Barren banks of the river could result in flooding of Mumbai, the letter claimed.