In a major setback to the environmental activists, the Bombay High Court today quashed a fresh plea filed by them for a stay on felling of trees in Aarey. The fresh petitions were filed after the HC had yesterday dismissed petitions against the Metro car shed project in the locality.
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The plea was urgently moved before the special bench of Bombay HC headed by Justice SC Dharmadhikari by the Environmental activists on Saturday. Activists sought a stay on the ground that they are challenging the judgment before the Supreme Court. However, the Bombay HC dismissed their petition.
So far, 29 people have been arrested and Section 144 has been imposed on the roads leading to Aarey, as protesters started swarming around the region. The court on Friday gave its sanction for the felling of over 2,500 trees for the Metro project.
The fight over Aarey has taken a political turn as not just the opposition, but BJP’s Maharashtra ally Shiv Sena also slammed the government’s decision to continue with the metro project in the Aarey forest area. Aditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray have vociferously voiced their concerns about the felling of trees in Aarey. Uddhav Thackeray said, “Our government is going to come to power soon and we will see what to do about these murderers of trees.”