Bombay High Court dismisses all petitions against cutting of 2,646 trees in Aarey colony

The Bombay High Court dismissed all petitions against planned cutting of over 2,600 trees in Aarey Colony of Mumbai, Maharashtra on October 4, thus clearing their axing. It also refused to declare the colony a forest.

A division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Bharati Dangre dismissed four petitions filed by NGOs and environmental activists on issues related to Aarey Colony in Goregaon, a major green lung of the metropolis.

One of the pleas filed by the city-based NGO Vanshakti sought that Aarey be declared a forest and ecologically sensitive zone, while another petition by green activist Zoru Bathena pleaded the area be given the status of a floodplain.

Two separate petitions were filed by Bathena and Shiv Sena corporator Yashwant Jadhav, challenging the decision of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) tree authority permitting the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) to cut 2,656 trees to construct a metro carshed in Aarey colony.

The Aarey Colony, measuring 1,287 hectares and located adjoining the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, has several exotic flora and fauna. The BMC's Tree Authority had allowed the MMRCL to cut the trees on August 29, 2019, triggering protests by green activists and common citizens who launched a "Save Aarey" campaign.

The MMRCL’s decision to cut trees in the area for building a car shed for Metro Phase III is facing strong opposition from green activists and sections of civil society.

Several Bollywood personalities and politicians have also extended their support to activists protesting against the felling of trees in Aarey.