HC Stops Felling Of Trees

HC Stops Felling Of Trees 19 Jan 2009, 2337 hrs IST, TNN Ahmedabad: Gujarat High Court on Monday barred the authorities from felling trees on Bopal-Ghuma road and asked various government departments, as well as Ghuma Grampanchayat, to explain the issue on Tuesday. Acting on a PIL by a resident of Ghuma Shivlal Purohit, moved through advocate Amit Panchal, a division bench of Justices RR Tripathi and RH Shukla asked the state government, AMC, AUDA and city police commissioner to immediately stop tree felling activity. However, by then nearly 370 trees had already been cut. Despite repeated efforts, the tree felling activity, which was being done to widen the road, didn't stop and the PIL had to be moved, said the advocate. The PIL also questioned on why the various authorities, who are responsible to protect green cover in the city, didn't interfere in this activity. Complaining about lack of policy in tree felling, the petitioner stated, "It is true that in the given situation, it would be imperative for a tree to be felled for public convenience. However, there cannot be a situation where that is a rule and not an exception, as trees are being felled incessantly and contrary to the Felling of Trees Act." The PIL has urged the court to direct the government to form a permanent policy about felling of trees for the purpose of widening of roads.

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