High Court refuses stay on tree felling

Mumbai : Green activists suffered a second jolt in two consecutive days when the Bombay High Court on Saturday refused to stay ongoing felling of trees at Mumbai's prominent green lung, Aarey Colony, to make way for a proposed metro car shed.

A few green activists moved a fresh application on Saturday seeking stay for a week on the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL's) action of chopping 2656 trees in the area, a day after the HC dismissed four petitions filed by NGOs and activists challenging the decision of Tree Authority of the Mumbai civic body allowing felling of trees.

The application was taken up for urgent hearing by Justices S C Dharmadhikari and A K Menon in their chamber in the high court.

Advocate Akshay Shinde, appearing for the MMRCL, told the judges that they initiated action of cutting trees only after the HC on Friday dismissed the petitions challenging the approval granted by the Tree Authority.