BMRCL told to apply for tree clearance before special panel

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday told Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to submit applications to a special committee for clearing trees to make way for the metro work.

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi was hearing a public interest litigation petition by Dattatreya T Devare and Bangalore Environment Trust.

The bench said all the applications for tree clearance should be placed before the special committee of experts set up by the government along with necessary documents. "The members of the committee should conduct a spot inspection. The priority of the committee is to find ways to save the trees without affecting the approved alignment of the metro lines," the bench said.

The court further said that the committee should complete the spot inspection within a month and submit its report to the tree authority based on which an order will be issued. The order should not be carried out till 15 days during which the applicant should be able to study it, the court said.

Tree census

Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chinnappa submitted to the court that an official each has been appointed to conduct tree census in area within and outside BBMP limits. "Under BBMP limits 4,800 trees have been counted and an app has been built for the census," he explained.

The court adjourned the matter to April 17.