SC to hear plea seeking removal of dead trees near Agra mental hospital falling in Taj zone

The Supreme Court Wednesday agreed to hear on Friday a plea seeking to remove some dried up trees near the mental hospital at Agra which falls under the Taj Trapezium Zone housing protected monument Taj Mahal.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde took note of submissions of a lawyer, representing the government hospital, that certain dead trees be allowed to be removed as they "scaring mental patients".

It has been alleged that the Forest department of Agra Zone has denied the permission to remove even dried trees in view of the apex court's earlier orders in this regard.

The apex court, which has been hearing the PIL filed by environmentalist M C Mehta, has restrained cutting or removing trees in the Taj Trapezium area.

The PIL has sought protection of the Taj from the ill effects of polluting gases and deforestation.

Earlier, the apex court, in 2014, had allowed the Agra Municipal Corporation to cut down 38 trees in the protected area of Taj Mahal under the Taj Trapezium Zone but had directed it to plant thrice the number of trees in the compound or nearby areas.

The corporation had submitted that the trees need to be cut down to renovate the tehsil building.

The apex court has been monitoring all the development in the area to protect the Taj, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz and which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.