Several people gathered at Mumbai's Aarey Forest to protest against the felling of trees on October 05. Bombay High Court has dismissed all petitions against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) decision which allowed felling of more than 2700 trees there, for metro car shed.
Tree felling started at Aarey after Bombay HC throws out Public Interest Litigations (PILs).
Protestors were later removed from the spot by police.?The latest round of showdown began on Friday night after the MMRC began cutting trees in there, just hours after the?Bombay High Court dismissed the petition filed by environmentalists?to declare the area like a forest.
Agencies
Reacting to the news, Bollywood celebrities condemned the decision and expressed their anger.
Meanwhile, Section 144 of the CrPC (banning unlawful assembly) has been imposed in Aarey Colony and its surrounding areas after protests over cutting of trees. Environment activists criticised the authorities, claiming that almost 200 trees have been cut so far. They alleged the metro corporation wants to finish the job before October 10, when the matter comes before the National Green Tribunal.
"This matter is going to be heard by the NGT on October 10, and we hope to get some respite from there. But it seems like the authorities want to eliminate the entire green patch before the hearing," Stalin D, one of the activists, said.