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The Supreme Court of India (SC) has strongly criticised the Maharashtra Government for its poor work in planting trees to offset those cut for metro projects in Mumbai. The project in question involves the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) and additional road tunnels, including the one joining Goregaon and
Mulund.
Afforestation Plan
The court noted that under the compensatory afforestation plan, about 20,460 trees were supposed to be planted. However, only around half of those have survived so far. The court heard from the deputy director of Sanjay Gandhi National Park that many of the surviving trees are very small (between one and twenty feet tall), and many others have died. Much of the planting area is rocky, the soil is poor, and the sites lack proper protection and maintenance.
Chief Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran said the government's handling showed "gross negligence." They pointed out that tree-felling had been permitted in good faith under the idea of sustainable development (so infrastructure could be built while preserving green cover), but the results show the principle wasn't upheld.
The Court has now said that unless the Maharashtra Chief Secretary files an affidavit by November 10 explaining how they'll properly implement afforestation, all previous permissions to cut trees may be recalled. Also, no more projects requiring forest clearance will be allowed until the Court is satisfied that the afforestation plans will be done seriously. The Chief Secretary has been warned that they could be held personally responsible for future violations.
Mostly, the government's afforestation plan in metro and tunnel projects in Mumbai has largely failed. The Supreme Court is unhappy and demanding a detailed plan and accountability before more permission to cut trees is granted.
