Aarey: Section 144 imposed after protest against felling of trees

Update at 4:00 PM

Sources report that Bombay High Court has rejected a fresh plea of activists seeking stay on tree cutting at Aarey. Court has also given judicial custody for Aarey protestors. Sources report that next hearing will be on Monday. Mumbai Police has arrested 29 protestors so far.

Even as protests continue in Mumbai's Aarey Colony against felling of trees by authorities from Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), Section 144 has been imposed near metro-rail project site. Informing about move, Mumbai police PRO said that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in area near metro-rail project site in Aarey. Following imposition, Mumbai Police has stopped entry of people from Marol Maroshi Ro. Sources from location informed that despite prohibitory orders, protestors refuse to move from place and Police have resorted to lathi charge.

RE: Bombay HC junks pleas seeking forest tag for Aarey colony

Protests in Aarey colony

Protests in Aarey colony broke out after authorities from Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) allegedly started cutting trees in area on Friday night, following Bombay High Court's dismissal of all petitions challenging  felling of trees. However, after videos of trees being cut at Aarey were circulated on social media, locals gared at site to protest. Calling move "shameful and disgusting", Shiv Sena leer Aitya Thackeray slammed authorities and slammed Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL). Bringing in Kashmir in Aarey matter, he said that officials responsible for tree-felling must be posted across LoC in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir to destroy terror camps. He also said that Mumbai Metro is destroying everything India said about environment in UN.

RE: Aarey can't get forest tag just because it has greenery: Maha govt

Bombay High Court order

Bombay High Court, on Friday, refused to declare Aarey colony a forest and also declined all four petitions against felling of trees. Court also imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on Shiv Sena corporator Yashwant Jhav, who h filed a petition against approval granted by civic body's tree authority. A division bench of Chief Justice Preep Nandrajog and Justice Bharati Dangre dismissed four petitions filed by NGOs and environmental activists on issues related to Aarey Colony in Goregaon, a major green lung of metropolis. One of pleas filed by city-based NGO Vanshakti sought that Aarey is declared a forest and ecologically sensitive zone, while ar petition by green activist Zoru Bana pleed area be given status of a floodplain.

RE: Aitya Thackeray slams tree-felling in Aarey, calls move 'shameful'

RE: Shiv Sena's Aitya Thackeray takes up Aarey matter, calls out MMRCL