Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has intensified its scrutiny over the controversial tree felling in Ajni Forest Nagpur, summoning the Chief Executive Officer of the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) to present all relevant records regarding the issue. The directive was issued after the court’s initial order for a senior RLDA official to inspect the tree-cutting was not properly followed, as junior officials were sent instead. The hearing on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was conducted by Justice Nitin Sambare and Justice Vrushali Joshi on Wednesday.
A total of 200 trees in Ajni Forest Nagpur have already been felled, with plans to cut down an additional 200. The High Court had previously ordered senior RLDA officials to assess whether there was a legitimate need to remove the remaining trees. However, after junior personnel were sent to carry out the inspection, the court mandated that the RLDA chief personally appear at the next hearing on Thursday, October 24, with complete documentation.
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Wed 4 Dec. 2024
Citizens have filed 80 objections with the Local Tree Authority over the proposed tree cutting inAjni Forest Nagpur. In response, the Municipal Corporation informed the court that the Municipal Commissioner, along with environmental experts, would personally inspect the forest. During a prior hearing, the court had canceled previous permissions granted for the felling of trees, instructing both the contractor and railway authorities to apply for fresh permissions within three days.
The court also directed the Local Tree Authority to conduct a physical inspection and legally evaluate the new permissions within three weeks. The petitioner, Sharad Paliwal, Secretary of the Swachh Association, claims that the initial approval for tree felling in **Ajni Forest Nagpur** was granted illegally and warns of significant environmental damage if the ancient trees in the forest are removed.
Advocate Gemini Kasat is representing the petitioner, who seeks to prevent further environmental degradation in Ajni Forest Nagpur amidst ongoing development projects by the RLDA and contractors.
