Bombay High court: No felling of 2,400 trees for Kumbh Mela

The Bombay High court on Tuesday observed that the vast depleting green cover in the state needs to be preserved, and rejected Nashik Municipal Corporation's (NMC) plea for felling 2,400 trees to widen the road to facilitate crowd and traffic management during the Kumbh Mela in August 2015.

A division bench of justices Abhay Oka and Ajey Gadkari dismissed the application filed by NMC and formed a committee headed by chief conservator of forests and two experts associated with the department of botany, University of Pune, to consider the objections placed by citizens against felling of trees.

The committee has to submit its report by January 27, 2015. The next hearing is on January 29, 2015.

Rapping the NMC for failing to establish a tree authority, the HC observed that "tree authority is necessary for preservation of trees and enhancement of green cover".

The HC has asked the committee to "endeavour to give suggestions for saving substantial number of trees".

VA Gangal, counsel for the NMC, argued that some of the objections raised were repetitions, but the HC observed that certain objections were similarly worded but that was no reason to permit felling of so many trees.

Advocate SA Gorwadkar, who was appointed as amicus curiae (friend of the court) said the students of Architecture College had submitted a plan to the NMC. This plan also should be considered, the HC said.