Nagpur: In some relief for green crusaders, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on Wednesday extended its interim stay on the felling of trees in Ajni Vann area till next hearing, scheduled after vacations on June 9.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Atul Chandurkar and Justice Mahendra Chandwani also asked the government to reply on the petitioner’s grievances against the Imambada Police Station, which had failed to register FIR on their complaints against Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA) and its contractor for felling over 500 trees without seeking mandatory permission from the authorities, including the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) Garden Department.
Gold Rate
09 May 2025
The directives came while hearing the civil application of NGO Swacch Association through Secretary Sharad Paliwal. The petitioner, through counsels — Pervez Mirza and Ragini Swami — contended that they had filed a complaint with Imambada Police Station on April 22 and May 2, regarding illegal tree felling at Ajni area. The complaint was filed against RLDA and its contractor Keystone Infrastructure and Globe Civil Services, which was added as a respondent in the PIL on Wednesday. However, the cops did not register the FIR till date.
The complaint was filed by Swachh Association President Anusuya Kale Chhabrani who informed the police that initially, it seems over 500 to 600 trees were cut, some of which may have been heritage due to their age. A joint survey of the area measuring around 44 acres on January 21, 2021 by the NMC and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had revealed the presence of 6,953 trees in the area of which many were heritage.
“As per revised amendment of July 26, 2021, in the ‘Maharashtra (Urban Area), Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975’ prior approval from the competent authority is needed for felling the trees. If the tree numbers are over 200 then State Tree Authority’s permission is required,” she said.
Alleging clear violation of rules and laws by the RLDA while felling trees in the Ajni Vann area, Chhabrani said the contractor cannot feign ignorance of law.
