Mumbai: Environmental Activist Zoru Bathena filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Bombay High Court in connection with the issues of road-side trees. The PIL came after the activist had approached the Municipal Corporation for Greater Mumbai (MCGM) as well as the tree authority concerning the ‘wanton’ destruction of the road side tree cover and their alleged complete neglect in replenishing the same. The court after hearing the PIL has asked the MCGM to disclose their policy to restore the Mumbai’s road side tree cover failing which the court shall frame it for the MCGM.
The PIL has specified several rules under the Tree Act, of which section 19 reads- no officer of MCGM can give permission for development of any land except with the approval of, and subject to the conditions imposed by the tree officer in regard to preservation and plantation of trees on such land. The petitioner verily believes that development of land includes development of roads.
The PIL reads, “The petition concerns the issue of roadside trees in Mumbai. It is the MCGM’s responsibility to plant and maintain a minimum number of trees on both sides of every road, which they are completely failing to do. The MCGM’s road department is issuing tender after tender for redevelopment of roads, whereas they are not leaving any space for planting trees. Kilometres and kilometres of roads are being cemented without single tree being planted, nor space left to plant such trees. Roads are being widened and existing roadside trees are being ruthlessly hacked away.”
The PIL further mentioned that on March 1, 2024, the MCGM Road department had issued policy guidelines for the development of roads. “The petitioner was shocked to see that the policy guidelines covered every single issue about roads except for the trees. The petitioner had addressed his letter dated March 2, to the MCGM, highlighting the missing issues of road-side trees.”
