Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay high court on Tuesday restrained the Nagpur Municipal Corporation from cutting ‘even a single tree’ in the proposed Orange City Street project area until a comprehensive tree census was completed and submitted to the court.A division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode clarified that it was not opposed to development, but cautioned that tree felling ‘must not exceed the permission granted’. The oral directive came during the hearing of a suo motu PIL initiated after a letter by Khamla resident and lawyer Dnyandeep Bhongade alleged large-scale cutting of mature trees.The civic body informed the court that it assigned a private agency, Terecon, to conduct the tree census and that the exercise would be completed within 20 days. Recording the submission, the bench directed that no tree be felled until the census report was placed on record. The matter was scheduled for further hearing after 4 weeks.Rahul Dhande appeared as amicus curiae, while Gemini Kasat represented the municipal corporation.According to Bhongade, several fully grown trees were cut near Khamla Bazaar at the site earlier known as the London Street project, now renamed Orange City Street. He warned that indiscriminate felling could disturb the local climate and reduce oxygen levels. His communication also referred to the construction of a large mall at the site of the old mutton market.Earlier, the court directed authorities to submit a detailed account specifying the total number of trees in the project area and the number proposed to be cut.Describing trees as ‘the lungs of this city’, Bhongade argued that large-scale deforestation would affect soil stability, groundwater retention and ambient oxygen levels. He also pointed to the ecological linkage with Sonegaon Lake, about 1.5 kilometres away, contending that surrounding green cover helps sustain its water levels.“We are ready for development, but what is the cost of it?” he said. “Malls and showrooms cannot give us fresh oxygen, fresh air or the sound of birds. These trees give all this free of cost.”
