Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has expressed deep concern over the rapid depletion of the city’s green cover, observing that Nagpur has gradually lost much of the greenery that once earned it the reputation of being one of Maharashtra’s greenest cities.
During a hearing related to tree felling and compensatory plantation linked to the London Street development project, a division bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Raj Wakode made strong observations on the environmental impact of unchecked urbanisation and the growing trend of replacing mature trees with plantation drives conducted far from the affected areas.
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“Nagpur once resembled a green forest. Today, much of that greenery has vanished,” Justice Kilor remarked, noting that large-scale development activities and indiscriminate tree cutting have transformed several parts of the city into a concrete landscape.
The Bench raised serious questions over the current practice of compensatory plantation, where thousands of saplings are planted at locations far removed from the sites where mature trees are felled.
The Court observed that residents living in areas where trees are cut lose immediate environmental benefits such as shade, cooler temperatures, cleaner air and biodiversity. These losses, the Bench noted, cannot be adequately compensated merely by planting trees elsewhere.
“Planting trees in a distant location does not restore the environmental balance of the area where mature trees were removed,” the Court observed during the proceedings.
Joint inspection ordered
To assess whether adequate space exists for plantation in the affected locality, the High Court directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Amicus Curiae to jointly inspect a one-kilometre stretch of London Street.
The Court said that if sufficient space is found during the inspection, the developer, Prafullved Infra Pvt Ltd, will be required to plant 1,000 trees within the locality itself.
The direction came after the developer informed the Court that there was no available space along London Street for carrying out plantation activities. The company had previously been granted permission to cut dozens of trees and was subsequently directed to undertake compensatory plantation.
The Bench, however, decided that the claim regarding lack of space should be verified through a physical inspection before any exemption could be considered.
The matter pertains to the controversial London Street project connecting Khamla-Sneh Samvardhak Road and Jaitala Road, which has been under judicial scrutiny over concerns relating to tree cutting and environmental compliance.
During the hearing, discrepancies emerged regarding the number of trees allegedly planted by the developer. According to an affidavit submitted by the NMC, the company had committed to planting nearly 10,000 trees as part of its compensatory plantation obligations. However, a field inspection conducted by civic officials on April 22 and 23 painted a different picture.
The inspection reportedly found only 4,213 trees on the ground, of which 3,986 were alive, raising questions about the accuracy of the developer’s claims and the effectiveness of monitoring mechanisms.
PIL originated from citizen’s letter
The issue first came before the High Court after Advocate Dnyandeep Bhongde, a resident of Khamla, wrote a letter highlighting concerns over tree felling and environmental degradation associated with the project. Taking serious note of the allegations, the High Court treated the communication as a matter of public importance and converted it into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
Subsequently, the Amicus Curiae questioned the developer’s assertion that nearly 10,000 trees had been planted, prompting the Court to direct the NMC to conduct an independent verification and submit a factual report.
Court records revealed that in June 2023, the NMC granted permission to cut 73 trees on Plot No. 5, subject to the condition that 2,561 trees would be planted as compensation.
Meanwhile, proposals seeking permission to cut an additional 67 trees on Plot No. 4 and 138 trees on Plot No. 3 are still awaiting approval.
The Municipal Corporation informed the Court that no final permissions would be granted for these proposals until all previously imposed compensatory plantation conditions are fully complied with.
The High Court’s observations have once again brought the issue of Nagpur’s shrinking green cover into focus. Environmentalists have long argued that while infrastructure development is essential, it should not come at the cost of irreversible ecological damage.
The Bench’s remarks signal a growing judicial emphasis on ensuring that compensatory plantation is not treated as a mere formality but as a meaningful environmental safeguard that directly benefits affected localities.
Advocate Deepak Thakre appeared for the State Government, while Advocate Gemini Kasat represented the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
The matter is expected to come up for further hearing after the joint inspection report is submitted before the Court.
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