The Supreme Court ordered the Mumbai Metro to pay a Rs 10 lakh fine within two weeks for cutting down trees in the Aarey forest without authorization, noting that the Mumbai Metro had attempted to exceed the court’s jurisdiction.
According to a bench made up of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justices P S Narasimha, and Justices J B Pardiwala, it was inappropriate for Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) to get permission from the tree authority to cut down any trees that were above 84 in number.
The highest court, however, allowed the firm to cut down 177 trees in the Aarey forest because it believed that prohibiting tree cutting would put the public project at an unfavourable halt.
“MMRCL must pay the conservator of forests a sum of Rs. 10 lakh within a period of two weeks. The court said, “The conservator must guarantee that any afforestation which has been instructed is accomplished.
“We propose that a team be sent by the IIT Bombay director to check for compliance. In three weeks, a report must be delivered to this court, it said.
In 2019, the Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognizance of a letter petition sent by law student Rishav Ranjan to the Chief Justice of India requesting a halt to the cutting of trees in the colony.