SC asks Bombay HC to decide over felling on Dec 12

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Bombay High Court to decide on the felling of trees to make a way for Metro 4 line in Thane, on December 12.

"The Bombay High Court shall decide the matter on felling of trees to make a way for Metro 4 line on elevated corridors from Wadala in Mumbai to Kasarvadavali in Thane on December 12," a bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde said.

"No tree shall be cut without the decision from the High Court in this regard," the bench said.

The court's order comes ahead of another case coming for hearing before Bombay High Court on December 12, which is filed by the same petitioner -- environmentalist Rohit Joshi -- challenging the permission to cut trees by the concerned authorities.

On December 2, the top court had restrained Maharashtra government and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for two weeks from cutting trees to make way for a metro line.A bench headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde ordered status quo to be maintained with regard to the felling of trees for making the metro line.The petition in this regard was filed by environmentalist Rohit Joshi. The apex court also served a notice to MMRDA and sought their response on the petition.In October earlier this year, over 2,185 trees were razed in the area in concurrence with the Bombay High Court's order which had upheld the permission granted to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) tree authority to cut down trees to make a metro-car shed.In pursuance of the widespread protests which erupted after the felling of trees in Mumbai's Aarey colony, the apex court had ordered the Maharashtra government to not axe any more trees and maintain the status quo till further orders.