The Bombay High Court has declined to provide interim relief to an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) that asked for a stay on the permissions granted to the Thane Tree Authority for the transplantation and felling of more than 500 trees. This project is part of the MMRDA’s Metro 4 line.
Also read - BMC Approves Felling Of 18 Trees For Metro 4 Line In Chembur
This also comes as a huge relief for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) which has been seeking clearances for Metro Line 4. This metro corridor is expected to run through Wadala - Ghatkopar - Mulund - Thane - Kasarvadavli.
The NGO withdrew its original plea after the court asked them to deposit the loss amount suffered by the MMRDA if a stay was granted as interim relief. The court, however, has allowed the NGO to file a new plea with similar conditions.
The plea was filed by Thane-based NGO Thane Nagrik Pratishthan and was heard by a Bombay High Court division bench consisting of Justices K K Tated and G S Kulkarni. The application sought the cancellation of permissions granted by the Thane Tree Authority citing the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975.
NGOs and other groups have played a key role in keeping a check on civic agencies over alleged environmental violations. The petitioners, in this case, claimed that the metro project was unnecessarily changed to an elevated project while it could have been carried out as an underground metro project to avoid the felling of over 500 trees.
Also read - In A First Of Its Kind Initiative, Metro 4 To Consider 'Bird Relocation'
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