The division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya observed that first it would like to hear the arguments of the Union ministry of environment, forest, and climate change in the matter and then only come to a conclusion.
New Delhi: In a decisive move to safeguard the city’s green cover, the Calcutta High Court has reaffirmed its interim stay on the felling of trees in the Maidan area of central Kolkata. This decision comes as a significant victory for environmental activists and concerned citizens who have been vehemently opposing the destruction of trees for the Kolkata metro expansion project. The Maidan, a vast expanse of greenery in the heart of Kolkata, is widely regarded as the lungs of the city, playing a crucial role in maintaining air quality and providing a sanctuary for diverse flora and fauna. The High Court’s decision to uphold the interim stay underscores the importance of preserving these vital natural assets in the face of urban development projects, as per a news report by IANS.
Arguments of Union Ministry Of Environment To Be Heard
The division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya observed that first it would like to hear the arguments of the Union ministry of environment, forest, and climate change in the matter and then only come to a conclusion.
The division bench also directed that the state forest department should also be made a party in the matter since the permission of that department is necessary for cutting down trees. The division bench also observed that it would take the final decision only after hearing all sides concerned. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for December 19.
‘We Are Not Against Metro Railway Project’, Says Calcutta High Court
“We are not against the metro railway project. This is not a luxury. Rather, it is an essential mode of public transport. The fact that metro railways will move under the Ganges is really a matter of pride. So this is just an interim stay,” the Chief Justice observed.
The interim stay on the cutting down of trees in the Maidan area was first ordered by Calcutta High Court’s other division bench of Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice Bibhas Ranjan De on October 26. That division bench ordered this interim stay on a PIL filed by an organisation in the name and style of People United for Better Living in Kolkata.
The organisation argued that if so many trees are cut down in the virtual lungs of Kolkata, the pollution level will rise and the environment will be at stake.
(With inputs from agencies)