The Bombay High Court on Wednesday has asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited to file their reply to a petition filed against the cutting down of the trees in the Aarey Forest. The petition was filed by Zoru Darius challenging the Tree authority's decision to cut down 2646 trees in the Aarey forest. The petition said that the Tree Authority, which comes under the MCGM, issued a public notice asking people for suggestions and objections from members of the public on a proposal by MMRCL (Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd) seeking the removal of 2702 trees at Aarey on June 30, 2019.

One lakh citizens object

According to the petition, over one lakh citizens filed objections to the Tree authority's proposal. An official at Tree Authority had said that the authority had arranged for a public meeting which was attended by the petitioner and 500 other people to raise their voices against the decision on July 08, 2019.

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Tree authority proposed fewer trees be cut

The Tree authority held a meeting on August 29 and proposed 2646 trees be cut and 461 replanted. The said number is a reduction of only 56 trees from the original proposal. The proposal was then passed permitting the removal of 2646 trees at Aarey with a majority of 8 to 6 votes.

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The petition alleges Aarey proposal passed fraudulently

The petition filed by Zoru Darius has challenged the tree authority's decision. It has also stated that the proposal to cut Aarey trees has been passed with fraudulent methods. It also said that the proposal of cutting down Aarey trees has been around 2014 but was either postponed or withdrawn in the account of strong opposition. The matter was heard by a divisional bench, consisting of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Bharati Dangre.

The Aarey forest issue has been a topic of concern for Mumbaikars. Multiple projects have come up in recent years. These projects include the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation project, the car shed project, and another project sanctioned by the Force One Group. The projects affect over 27 hamlets in the area. For more than three years environmentalists, residents, and various groups have been fighting to save the Aarey forest which is also known as Mumbai's lungs.

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