SC stops tree-cutting at Aarey; MMRC says 98% already axed

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday said no more trees can be cut in Aarey Milk Colony until the next date of hearing in the case on October 21.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday said no more trees can be cut in Aarey Milk Colony until the next date of hearing in the case on October 21.

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However, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) released a statement, saying it has cut 2,141 of the 2,185 trees to be felled for the construction of the Metro-3 car shed — effectively 98% of the trees needed to be cleared for the project. The MMRC said no tree-cutting will be undertaken at the site, but other construction activities, including clearing the site, will continue.

“Status quo to be maintained till the next date of hearing with respect to cutting of trees,” a special bench of the Apex Court, comprising justice Arun Mishra and justice Ashok Bhushan, said after hearing two petitions challenging the felling of trees to build a car shed for Metro-3.

In its order, the court also reflected the assurance given by the solicitor general of India Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Maharashtra government, who said “whatever has been cut, has been cut, no further cutting is required”.

Meanwhile, the SC also ordered the immediate release of protestors, who were arrested, on furnishing of personal bonds.

The court has asked the state government to file a report on the status of more than 21,000 saplings that were planted in the area in 2016.

The hearing in the top court on Monday was an outcome of a letter written by a law student to the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Sunday.

The letter was on Sunday evening converted into a public interest litigation and a special bench was set up to hear the case today.

The letter, which has now been converted into a petition, said the SC needs to intervene in the matter and stay the tree-cutting in Aarey area, “because by the time an appeal is filed in the SC, we feel that part of Aarey will be cleared of all trees, leading to an irrevocable loss’.

The SC is shut for Dussehra, but the bench on Monday was convened only to hear the Aarey matter.

On Friday, the Bombay high court (HC) had dismissed four petitions filed by NGOs and environmental activists against the felling of over 2,000 trees in the green zone to set up a car shed. The same night, citizens had stormed the site, after learning on social media that the MMRC had started to cut trees.

They were arrested for obstructing public servants from discharging duty and unlawful assembly. The police on Saturday imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Aarey, restricting movement and gathering of groups, and cordoned off the area.

The Aarey colony, measuring 1,287 hectares and adjoining the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), is known as a major green lung of Mumbai.