SC to lay down guidelines for striking balance between environment protection & development

 In an effort to strike a balance between development and environmental protection, Supreme Court Tuesday said it would lay down comprehensive guidelines to deal with such conflicts while expressing strong concern over deforestation and depletion of water bodies.

Referring to recent cases related to Mumbai's Aarey colony and coastal ro project, top court said that time and again se issues are coming up before courts and it would be appropriate that some rms are laid to deal with m.

"Deforestation is happening at such a pace that even before we come to kw about it, everything will be lost. Green cover needs to be valued and protected. problem we are facing is that body wants to consider an alternative," a bench heed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said.

"May be an alternative could be created without felling trees. It may be little expensive but it would go a long way in preserving trees," said bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant.

Talking of water bodies in Nagpur, which were perennial source of water, CJI said y are w covered by concrete and debris.

"We kw, you don't have brains to develop new means of water conservation. But n why are you destroying existing ones?", CJI said.

top court was hearing a plea of Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) against Calcutta High Court order of August 31, 2018, which paved way for widening of national highway and allowed felling of over 350 trees on condition that five trees will be planted for each tree cut.

project pertains to widening of Jessore Ro, which connects city to Petrapole on Indo-Banglesh border.

vocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for APDR, said that scientists in ir recent study have stated that due to deforestation, climatic condition will become inhabitable in next 50 years.

"It is believable. Quite believable," bench said.

It sought suggestions from senior vocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for West Bengal, and Bhushan, in laying down rms to deal with issues of environmental protection and development.

"We have many similar cases before us some of which we have heard -- Mumbai's metro car shed project, coastal ro project, where trees are being cut. It would be appropriate if we lay down some guidelines to deal with issues. Please give us your suggestions. How valuation needs to be carried out in such instances?", bench said.

top court ded that it needs people like some ecomists along with environmentalists in a panel for conducting a scientific exercise to estimate value of a tree taking into account value of quantum of oxygen it emits in its lifetime.

" valuation should be taken into account while estimating cost of projects, which require cutting of trees. What you remove is quite expensive. best solution is to avoid cutting trees. Some kind of trees needs to be preserved," it said.

bench, while posting matter for furr hearing after four weeks said that when report is prepared by apex court appointed high-powered panel, it may be given to petitioner.

On January 9, apex court h constituted a panel of experts to suggest an alternative to felling of over 350 trees for construction of railway over bridges (ROB) and widening of National Highway-112 from Barasat to Petrapole on Indo-Banglesh border in West Bengal.

While expressing concern over cutting of trees, it h observed, "When we cut a herit tree, imagine value of oxygen tree produced all se years".

It h appointed panel including Professor Nishikant Mukerji, Managing Director of Tiger Environment Centre, Dr. Soham Pandya, Secretary and Executive Director of

Centre of Science for Vills and environmentalist Sunita Narain of Centre for Science and Environment.

top court h asked committee to furnish report in four weeks.

NH-112 or Jessore Ro is an important link between India and Banglesh and state government h undertaken a project to widen it. Hundreds of old trees line both sides of ro, some of which were decided to be felled for purpose of widening of ro.