The Bombay high court has stopped work on the cycling track around Powai Lake till November 16. Further, it has ordered the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to file its response by the next date of hearing.
A vacation bench of Justices Shahrukh Kathawalla and Surendra Tavade was hearing a PIL filed by two IIT Bombay students - Omkar Supekar and Abhishek Tripathi - from the social science and chemistry faculties, seeking a stay on the ongoing work near the Powai Lake.
The students filed their plea through advocate Rajmani Verma.
Before the bench, the students argued that the land in question, where the project was being carried out is a ‘notified wetland’.
“Thus, there can’t be any reclamation. However, the BMC has already started with its work. This reclamation will inevitably have the worst impact on Powai Lake,” Verma argued before the judges.
Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy, representing the BMC, sought some time for the civic body to clarify its stand on the matter.
“Till then, there shouldn’t be any work on the site, the judges have ordered,” confirmed Chinoy.
The judges have clearly asked the BMC not to proceed with any work on the site till the next date of hearing, which is on November 16.
Notably, several green activists have questioned the decision of the BMC to carry out this project near Powai Lake. They have raised concerns over the danger to the aquatic life and also the greenery in the vicinity as it is alleged that the civic body has decided to chop some trees for the project.
