How Green Was My Forest

The Supreme Court staying the order of Bombay High Court regarding further felling of trees at Aarey for a Metro car shed comes as a relief to the environment-conscious citizens of Mumbai

- Debi Goenka

THE Supreme Court once again stepped in to provide succour and stem the heightened emotions unleashed by the felling of trees in Aarey. The case saw environmentalists, activists and citizens fight to save the trees and Mum bai’s last lungs.

The case had come up before the Bombay High Court which dismissed a petition by activist Zoru Bhathena challenging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s decision to cut down 2,646 trees for the construction of a Metro car shed at Aarey. The Court also dismissed a petition filed by an NGO, Vanashakti, to declare Aarey a forest. “The issue is pending before the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal. Hence, we are dismissing the petition on the Principle of Comity and not on merits,” the Court said.

However, the Supreme Court stayed any further cutting down of trees at Aarey when Rishav Ranjan, a law student from Delhi, moved the chief justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, on October 6. This resulted in a special bench being constituted to hear the matter the next day. Resi dents and environmentalists fear that the car depot coming up will destroy biodiversity and pave the way for further land exploitation in Aarey.