The Bombay High Court on December 9, 2022 granted permission to cut close to 22,000 mangrove trees in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar for the upcoming bullet train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, “in public interest” subject to various conditions.
A division bench of chief justice Dipakar Datta and justice Abhay Ahuja was hearing a plea filed by National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC) seeking permission to cut trees for the project. In September 2018, a division bench headed by justice Abhay Oka had put, “a total freeze on the destruction and cutting of mangroves in the entire State.” The order also said, “The State cannot permit destruction of mangroves for private, commercial or any other use unless the court finds it necessary for the public good or public interest.”
Advocates Pralhad Paranjape appearing for NHSRCL sought permission to cut mangroves and said the number has reduced from 53,467 to 21,997. He also told the court that it will plant five times the total mangrove trees and that the original number of trees will not be reduced.
The court rejected an intervenor, a non governmental organisation, Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG), request to stay operation of its order. Advocate Sheetal Shah representing the NGO had said no study has been done on the survival rate of saplings to be planted as a compensatory measure and NHSRC has not provided the Environmental Impact Assessment report for felling of mangroves.
The bench while allowing permission to cut mangrove said NHSRCL will have to comply with terms and conditions set out by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority when the work begins.
The detailed order is awaited.
