Supreme Court’s interim stay on tree felling

Mumbai: The Supreme Court Monday ordered status quo on the felling of 1,023 trees in the Thane area for construction work of the metro line 4, also known as the Wadala-Thane-Kasarvadavali line. The apex court ordered an interim stay for two weeks while hearing a petition moved by a Thane activist after the Bombay high court last week lifted its earlier stay on tree-cutting. A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde Monday heard the plea filed by activist Rohit Joshi, challenging the HC order of lifting its earlier stay. The original petition had demanded that the metro line be made underground instead of the proposed elevated corridor.

“We had also highlighted in the high court that the tree-cutting was approved illegally by tree authority of the Thane Municipal Corporation” Mr Joshi said.