Ujjain: The Indore Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the State government as well as Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) to relocate the plants which are being uprooted for laying sewerage pipelines.
Hearing a writ petition (27324/2019) along with interim application (IA 542/2020) filed by Roopantaran Samajik Avam Jankalyan Samstha president Rajeev Pahwa, the High Court’s double bench comprising justice SC Sharma and Shailendra Shukla passed these directives recently. April 27, 2020 has been fixed as the next date for hearing the case. The work to lay sewerage pipeline has been assigned to Tata Projects Limited.
During the hearing, petitioner’s counsel argued before the court that the respondents are going ahead with felling of trees and irreparable damage is being caused to the environment.
On the other hand, counsel for the respondent State government as well as the UMC informed the Court that the work relating to laying a sewerage line is taking place and it is nobody’s case that all the plants are being uprooted. It was also stated that only a small portion of the plantation is being affected. A prayer has been made for grant of time to file reply.
The bench in its order noted, “This Court is of the considered opinion that as the small plants are being uprooted, IA 542/2020 is disposed-off with a direction to the respondents to make all possible endeavour to relocate the plants which are being uprooted and in case, relocation is not possible, the respondents shall carry out plantation by planting double the number of uprooted plants/small trees. A list shall be prepared in respect of small trees/plants which are being uprooted and then a report be filed before this Court in respect of the plantation carried out by the respondents within 30 days.”
Tata Projects Ltd booked for destroying garden
Meanwhile, the Nanakheda police on Sunday booked Tata Projects Limited Ujjain for destroying some gardens, uprooting trees and severing wires by digging. On the reports of garden officer Vidhu Kaurav, police have registered a case under Section 427 of IPC and Section 3 of MP Public Defacement of Property Act, 1984.
