The Supreme Court on Friday inquired whether the Maharashtra government has plans to cut more trees in Mumbai’s Aarey forest, a significant environmental concern. Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih requested a detailed report on any such proposals and directed all parties to finalize their arguments by the second week of February for a comprehensive hearing.
During the session, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured the bench that the parties were considering the public interest, but the justices emphasized the broader environmental implications, highlighting concerns over the substantial number of trees already removed.
This inquiry is part of ongoing legal scrutiny over the Aarey forest, where tree felling has sparked significant public and judicial interest. In April 2023, the Supreme Court criticized the Mumbai Metro for attempting to exceed a prior permission that allowed only the felling of 84 trees for a metro car shed project. As a consequence of this overreach, the Court imposed a penalty of Rs 10 lakh on Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) and restricted any further tree cutting beyond the specified number.
The court’s involvement began in 2019 when it took suo motu cognizance of a letter from law student Rishav Ranjan, who petitioned for a halt to the tree felling in Aarey. Since then, the apex court has repeatedly intervened to balance development needs with environmental conservation.
In a significant 2022 ruling, the Supreme Court allowed Mumbai Metro to approach the relevant authority regarding the felling of 84 trees but underscored that no additional trees should be cut without explicit permission. This directive was a response to environmentalists’ and local residents’ vigorous opposition to the deforestation in Aarey, which is one of the city’s last large green spaces.
