Mumbai: Days after vacating the stay on felling of trees at Thane for Metro 4 line, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday slammed the green activists. The HC asked the activists to keep in mind the purpose of the metro project.
A bench of Justices Satyaranjan Dharmadhikari and Riyaz Chagla slammed activist Rohit Joshi, who had filed a petition challenging the validity of the orders of the Thane Tree Authority (TTA), which had permitted to cut down over 3000 trees for 12 different development projects, two of which pertain to Metro.
The bench had last month vacated the blanket ban on cutting of trees for Metro IV, which would be connecting Wadala to Thane and Kasarwadawli via Ghatkopar.
The bench had then said that such a blanket ban order restraining the public body from implementing a public project cannot survive. However, the activists have got this order stayed from the Supreme Court, which has sent them back to HC for further hearing of the matter.
On Tuesday, the HC bench was dealing with another plea filed by Rohit Joshi, challenging the orders of the TTA. When the matter came up for hearing, the counsel appearing for MMRDA informed the judges that there is yet again a ban on cutting of trees.
Irked over this, the judges said, “A picture is being given out as if the Metro projects are only proposed to cut down trees. You say that the opposition is only to the cutting of trees and not Metro lines, but these are just false claims.”
“One should keep in mind the purpose for which the project has been developed and proposed. It is for the public interest,” the judges said while adjourning the matter for further hearing till next week.
