SC Slams Maha Govt Over Poor Execution of Compensatory Afforestation Plans For Mumbai Metro Projects
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday (October 27) slammed the Maharashtra government over the dismal execution and maintenance of compensatory afforestation sites for Mumbai Metro projects.
While the state government had earlier persuaded the court to allow several Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) projects, the court found that only 50% of the 20,460 trees planted under the compensatory afforestation plan for Mumbai Metro projects have survived. Earlier, the court had also granted in principle approval to tunnelled Goregaon-Mulund road link as part of East-West Connectivity project, reported Times of India.
"If this is the status of implementation of the afforestation plan on ground, we will recall all previous permissions for tree felling for Metro projects and stations,” said a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran.
The deputy director of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park told the court that most of the plants which have survived are between one and 20 feet, while others have perished. The reasons for the perishing of the plants included lack of protection and maintenance of afforestation sites and also the fact that most of them don’t have fertility owing to the soil being rocky.
“It is gross negligence by the state and its authorities. The trees planted for re-greening have not survived because the soil used was not sustainable and the planted trees were not looked after. The government has to ensure that afforestation plans are implemented properly and not in such a manner that half of them perish because of lack of care and negligence by authorities. Is this the way afforestation plans are implemented?” said CJI Gavai, reported the newspaper.
The apex court said that the BMC application for felling trees at the entry and exit points of the tunnelled road will be kept pending till the the chief secretary of the state files an affidavit on or before Nov 10.
The affidavit will need to detail the steps to be taken for effective implementation of compensatory afforestation plans.
“Unless an effective implementation plan is put in place, we will recall all permissions given to BMC and MMRCL,” said CJI Gavai.
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