The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday permitted BMRCL to axe 680 trees and translocate a further 568 along the Nagavara-Gottigere alignment of the Namma Metro project.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi passed the order after perusing the Office Memorandum (OM) pertaining to the Tree Expert Committee (TEC).
The committee’s first report recommends retention of 37 trees, translocation of 84, and felling of 138. The second OM concerns 1,026 trees of which 542 are marked for felling and the remaining 484 must be translocated.
The court has allowed the cutting of 577 trees with certain directions on December 23, 2021.
“Considering the entire aspect of the matter, and, more particularly, considering the requirement of the metro project, which is in progress, we permit Respondent 5 (BMRCL) to go ahead with the permission granted to them by the tree officer and the Deputy Conservator of Forests for felling of trees.
“However, that shall be in consonance with the Tree Expert Committee (TEC) and only those trees shall be translocated and cut which have been recommended by the TEC. Respondent 5 shall file the status report with respect to fresh plantation done by it and the progress regarding the environment impact assessment due to felling of trees,” the court said.
The PIL was filed by Bangalore Environment Trust and environmentalist Dattatraya T Devare, seeking the formation of a committee/task force to oversee the functioning of the tree officers and tree authority.
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Published 09 February 2022, 20:50 IST