The Supreme Court (SC,) on the 7th of October, ordered the Maharashtra Government to stop cutting down trees in Aarey Colony.
The decision came after the green activists and residents of the Aarey Colony opposed the decision of the Bombay High Court. On the 6th of October, Rishav Ranjan, a law student wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) regarding the Aarey trees, following which the SC decided to register the letter as a petition.
The SC bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Ashok Bhushan reviewed the petition and ordered the Maharashtra Government to stop cutting the trees.
The SC also asked the Maharashtra Government to submit an affidavit comprising information like the number of trees cut down, the number of saplings planted and other steps to plant new trees.
The cutting of trees started on the midnight of the 5th October, after the Bombay High Court gave a green signal to the Mumbai Metro Rail for cutting trees. The felling was continuing until the SC intervened and ordered to stop .
The reason to cut lakhs of trees in Aarey is the proposal of the Mumbai Metro Rail to construct a car shed in the area.
While concluding the hearing the Apex Court asked the Maharashtra Police to release the activists and locals who were arrested while trying to stop the metro rail official from cutting trees.
The next hearing regarding the Aarey trees cut down is scheduled to be held on the 21st of October.
Stay tuned for further updates.
