Activist challenges Mumbai civic body’s nod to fell Aarey trees in Bombay HC

The petition claimed the BMC’s decision violated the HC order of July wherein the court had directed the BMC to ensure the opinion of experts was taken into consideration while giving permission to cut trees for development projects.

Stating that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) passed the resolution to cut or transplant 2,646 trees in Aarey Colony for Metro-3 car shed on August 29 without following the due procedure, activist Zoru Bhathena has moved the Bombay high court (HC), seeking quashing of the move.

Protesters form a human chain during protest to SAVE AAREY campaign at Aarey Colony,Goregaon in Mumbai on Sunday. (HT File Photo)

In his petition, Bhathena alleged the resolution was passed without taking written inputs from all tree experts and failed to record reasons as to why it deferred from experts’ opinions. The petition claimed the BMC’s decision violated the HC order of July wherein the court had directed the BMC to ensure the opinion of experts was taken into consideration while giving permission to cut trees for development projects.

The plea said the decision was arbitrary and also against the relevant sections of the Tree Act. The petition is expected to come up for hearing on Wednesday before a bench of chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog.