Punjab and Haryana HC stops tree felling at Chandigarh school

Taking note of a resident’s petition, the Punjab and Haryana high court has restrained the Chandigarh administration from cutting anymore trees at Government Model

Taking note of a resident’s petition, the Punjab and Haryana high court has restrained the Chandigarh administration from cutting anymore trees at Government Model High School, Sector 36.

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The high court bench of chief justice RS Jha and justice Arun Palli acted on the plea of Sudeep Mahajan, a lawyer and resident of the sector.

The administration had admitted before the court that 10 to 15 trees have already been axed at the school.

Mahajan had told the court that in the seventies, a large number of eucalyptus trees were planted on the school premises to provide green, cool, shady and healthy environment for the students and residents living in the schools’ vicinity.

However, authorities suddenly started axing the trees for no compelling reason. He claimed that when enquiries about the exercise were made, it came to light that the trees were being felled under pressure from some influential residents, who feared the trees may fall on their houses or cars.

The petitioner argued that the tall, elegant, green, healthy, salubrious and environment-protecting trees cannot be allowed to be axed on the vague, hypothetical, unsubstantiated and idle fears of some residents, and thereby allow degradation of the environment for the rest of the residents of the city.

Hence, he sought that the authorities be directed to immediately stop indiscriminate felling and plant thrice the number of trees already felled.

The administration has been told to respond by the next date of hearing on March 4.