BIG: CM Uddhav halts Aarey metro car-shed construction & tree-felling till 'next decision'

In a massive move, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday has announced that no more trees will be felled in the Aarey colony, after his cabinet meeting. While Thackeray has not stopped the metro-3 car shed project in the Aarey colony, he has assured that 'not a single leaf of Aarey will be axed', in a press conference after taking charge as CM. He has further said that construction will commence only after a thorough investigation is conducted on the project and a decision is taken.

Aarey Colony: 2,141 tress chopped off so far in the region says MMRCL

SC order on Aarey

Earlier on October 7, the Supreme Court put an interim stay on the felling of trees in Mumbai's Aarey to set up Metro car shed, asking the government to maintain status-quo after an appeal by students. "Don't cut anything now," said Supreme Court on Aarey forest for it to examine the matter further. A special bench of justices Arun Mishra and Ashok Bhushan started hearing the plea filed by a delegation of law students on the felling of trees. 

Aarey Protests: Activists write to CJI to stop ongoing tree-felling

Govt says 2141 trees felled

Meanwhile, the state government's MMRCL had informed stated that as on date 2,141 trees have been felled after receiving permission for 2185 trees to be felled. It added that honouring the Court's decision no more trees will be felled and had stopped construction temperorily. MMRCL has already planted 23,846 trees and additionally distributed 25,000 saplings as part of its green initiatives, stated an MMRCL spokesperson.

SC orders status quo on Aarey; says 'don't cut any more trees'

29 Protestors jailed for protesting

29 protestors who had been arrested were granted bail by Additional sessions court judge H C Shende of the holiday court, after a heavy protest in support of the protestors. The protestors had been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for disturbing public order and obstructing government officials from performing their duties, according to ANI. Previously, the Bombay High Court had rejected a fresh plea of activists seeking a stay on tree cutting at Aarey. It had also granted the Mumbai Police judicial custody of the 29 Aarey protestors.

Aaditya Thackeray : 'I believe Aarey must be declared a forest'

Aarey Protest turns ugly

The protest against the mass tree-cutting of trees in the Aarey area took an ugly turn when authorities from Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) allegedly started cutting trees in the area. This move was following Bombay High Court's dismissal of all petitions challenging the action of the Tree Authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in allowing the MMRCL to cut down 2,656 trees in the area. Police imposed Section 144 near the metro-rail project site on Saturday morning. Following the imposition, Mumbai Police has stopped the entry of people from Marol Maroshi Road. Sources from the location informed that despite prohibitory orders, protestors refuse to move from the place and Police have resorted to lathi charge.