MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited(MMRCL) on 5th August, Friday told the Supreme Court that no trees have been cut in the city’s Aarey forest area, and only some weeds and bushes were cleared for vehicles to pass through.
“Only weeds and bushes on the ground were cleared. There is an approach road. There were branches that required trimming for vehicles to pass through, No trees were cut. They have shown photographs of some other areas,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the MMRCL, maintained before a Bench led by Justice U.U. Lalit.
Mehta said, “If public interest litigations are filed with misleading allegations, it will leave a bad taste.” The bench replied that there are benefits of having PILs. During the hearing, justice Lalit pointed out that he was an amicus curiae in the TN Godavarman Thirumalpad case and asked if there was any conflict of interest in his hearing of the matter. Mehta said he does not see any conflict.
“Mumbai authorities continue to kill the lungs of Mumbai i.e Aarey forest by clearing of trees near the Mithi river bank and according to news reports 1,500 trees have already been cleared by authorities,” the letter to the apex court had said in 2019.
The Aarey forest is located adjacent to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and has five lakh trees.
