Nagpur High Court Takes Judicial Notice of Alleged Tree Felling Along London Street Corridor
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has taken a significant step in addressing environmental concerns by converting a citizen's letter into a Public Interest Litigation on Wednesday. This judicial intervention came after a lawyer raised serious allegations about large-scale felling of mature trees in the Khamla area along the proposed London Street corridor development project.
Court's Directive and Appointment of Amicus Curiae
A division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode directed the court registry to formally treat the citizen's representation as a PIL. The bench appointed advocate Raul Dhande as amicus curiae to assist the court in this matter, asking him to file a comprehensive petition within the next two weeks. This move signals the court's serious approach to examining the environmental implications of the alleged tree cutting activities.
The Citizen's Concerns and Documentation
The letter that triggered this judicial action was written by Dnyandeep Bhongade, a 39-year-old lawyer and resident of Khamla. Bhongade accompanied his written representation with photographic evidence documenting extensive tree cutting along Sneha Savardhak Road extending up to Jaitala. The affected areas include locations near Khamla market and the old meat market, where a commercial mall construction is currently underway.
While expressing support for urban development in principle, Bhongade described the environmental cost as "deeply distressing" in his communication to the court. "I spent 37 years of my life in this area and always supported development," he wrote, adding that witnessing the "huge number of big trees" being cut left him feeling "very sad, helpless and angry."
Questions About Compensatory Plantation and Transparency
Bhongade raised critical questions about whether mandatory compensatory plantation norms were being followed by the authorities. He specifically noted that residents had not observed a single new tree planted nearby to compensate for the mature trees being removed. Emphasizing the ecological significance of mature trees, he pointed out that such trees typically require 10 to 15 years to grow and can sustain ecological balance for decades, making their loss "irreversible in the short term."
The lawyer called for greater transparency from authorities, demanding that they make public exactly how many trees were felled and how many were replanted as compensation. "To a common man, it is like searching for the black cat in the dark room," he wrote, highlighting that while citizens knew the area had maintained dense tree cover for over 40 years, they lacked access to official data about the current situation.
Ecological Impact and Broader Environmental Concerns
Describing trees as "the lungs of the city," Bhongade warned that large-scale deforestation would have multiple negative consequences, including effects on soil stability, groundwater retention, and oxygen levels in the urban environment. He also drew attention to the ecological linkage with Sonegaon Lake, located approximately 1.5 kilometers away, arguing that surrounding green patches play a crucial role in maintaining the lake's water levels.
"We are ready for development, but what is the cost of it?" Bhongade questioned in his letter. "Malls and showrooms cannot give us fresh oxygen, fresh air or the sound of birds. These trees give all this free of cost."
Judicial Scrutiny and Future Proceedings
The court's intervention now sets the stage for a closer judicial examination of the alleged tree felling activities and the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's compliance with environmental norms. This case represents a significant development in environmental jurisprudence, where citizen concerns about urban development's ecological impact are receiving formal judicial attention.
Key Aspects of the Case
- Lawyer alleged large-scale cutting of mature trees along the London Street corridor stretch
- Affected area spans from Sneha Samvardhak Road to Jaitala Road near Khamla market
- Commercial mall construction cited as development activity near old meat market
- No compensatory plantation visible in the locality according to the complainant
- Ecological connection highlighted with Sonegaon lake located 1.5 kilometers away
- Petition expected to seek official data on trees felled and replanted
The case will now proceed through the formal PIL mechanism, with the appointed amicus curiae preparing a comprehensive petition that will likely address both the specific allegations of tree felling and broader questions about environmental safeguards in urban development projects.
