Mumbai: Mumbai-based activist Zoru Bhathena has filed a review petition in the Bombay High Court against the disputed civic tree authority's decision of August 29, allowing felling of 2,646 trees for the controversial Aarey metro 3 depot construction.
The matter is listed on Wednesday (September 4) before the bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Mrs. Bharati Dangre at 11 am.
According to the filed petition, the activist has challenged the committee's approval on the basis that it has overruled one lakh objections raised by citizens against the construction of a depot in Aarey. In addition, the petitioner pointed out that the committee has not considered the expert opinions as per the tree authority act under sections 3, 8 and 14 which allows that the expert members inputs should be taken into writing.
According to the petition copy, "The scientific input cannot be in the form of an oral suggestion. Moreover, if the scientific input given by the experts are not referred to in the decision-making process, then the purpose for which they are included in the tree authority would become meaningless."
Moreover, Bhathena has alleged that the order has been passed by BMC by fraudulent methods. Further raising concern, the petitioner remarked that felling of trees will have a substantial impact on the environment. If the reliefs are not granted, there will be widespread environmental damage to Mumbai city, which cannot be compensated in terms of money.