Deforestation is so rapid, everything will be lost before anyone knows: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed grave concern over shrinking of green cover and felling of trees across the country, saying "deforestation is so rapid that before anybody knows everything will be lost".

"Green cover must be preserved. People are not willing to explore alternatives. There could be a way to create a path without cutting trees. It might be a little more expensive, but if you value the property, it would be better," a bench presided over by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde said.

The top court was hearing a plea by NGO Association for Protection of Democratic Rights against felling of about 340 trees for constructing railway over ridge and widening of National Highway 112 from Barasat to Petrapole on the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.

Appearing for the NGO, advocate Prashant Bhushan said that environment and climate may take a turn for the very worse in another 50 years.

To this, the CJI said, "It is believable, very believable."

The bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, said the court would like to see if it can lay down some principles.

"We would like some suggestions. The deterioration is so rapid that before anybody knows many things will be permanently gone," the bench said.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the state government, defended the development saying there were around 800 deaths near the railway lines, therefore, the government decided to construct a 4-km-long foot overbridge.

The top court had on January 9, 2020, set up a committee to file a report on how this is to be balanced and done.

"These cases present the usual dilemma between environmental protection and development. Obviously, each situation involves different considerations. Whatever be the method adopted for the evaluation of the loss to the environment or to the economy in general, it is desirable, if alternatives to the proposed felling of heritage trees are considered by a
committee of experts," the bench had then said.

The committee comprised Prof Nishikant Mukerji, Managing Director, Tiger Environment Centre, Nagpur, Dr Soham Pandya Secretary and Executive Director, Centre of Science for Villages, Dattapur, Wardha, Sunita Narain Director, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, Bikash Kumar Maji, Assistant Chief Engineer, PIU(ROB), Kolkata and Niranjita Mitra, Division Forest Officer, North 24 Parganas, Kolkata.

The court decided to wait for the report for the panel for four weeks.