Meeting / Update on LBS Marg trees PIL


Dear friends,

The Bombay High Court bench of Justice Radhakrishnan and Justice
Dharmadhikari gave a favourable hearing in the LBS Marg tree cutting issue
PIL on 28th October. The Court has withheld a final hearing but given an
interim stay to any tree cutting on LBS Marg. It was completely unconvinced
with the tree cutting permissions that MMRDA produced and has asked them to
produce a detailed plan for why every tree needs to be cut and whether it
really obstructed traffic. The court has asked MMRDA to involve the
petitioners and the public in the neighbourhood in the process.

The permission produced by the MMRDA was basically a letter from the tree
authority giving a string of tree numbers, which can be cut. Along with that
there a list of suggestions for transplanting and replanting for trees which
will be cut. Actually it was very surprising that there was so much
mentioned about transplanting. Why then was the contractor only engaged in
tree cutting?

The main reasons for tree cutting given by the MMRDA was road widening and
laying of utilities both of which are extremely unconvincing to anybody who
spends time on foot on the road.

An anti-development stand was not taken up by not arguing that no tree
should be cut. We are also for good wide roads but not in the absolutely
senseless and undemocratic manner in which it is being curently done. We
also conveyed that we also firmly believe that planning for pedestrians is
as important if not more for better traffic and transport mangement.

Accordingly now a public meeting has been agreed for Monday 7th November at
10:00 am. This will be at the MMRDA office near Huma Adlabs Kanjur Marg. All
are invited.

The next hearing for the matter will be on 16th November.

A very Happy Diwali and Id to everybody and for tree lovers there is some
reason to be festive.

Rishi

Mumbai Environmental Social Network
www.mesn.org

October 30, 2005