Karnataka high court permits BMRCL to carry out afforestation, relocation & tree felling

Bengaluru: The high court declined to issue any orders regarding compensatory afforestation, relocation, and tree felling, among other issues, pointing out that Namma Metro project implementation is already running behind schedule. Instead, it allowed Bangalore Metro Railway Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to carry out these activities until the next date of court hearing.

This directive was issued by a division bench led by Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale, who noted that while the rate of afforestation may not be quick, it is not inclined to impose any directions at this time on this basis.

The bench noted that according to the documents presented to the court, a field observation exercise was also carried out by an expert committee, which also documented the field examination and objections. The bench postponed the hearing to January 11, 2023, and instructed BMRCL to submit a progress report on the actions taken in response to the order.

The petitioners' legal representative had earlier claimed that the court's directives on compensatory afforestation had not been carried out and that in some cases, not a single tree had been planted.

An environmentalist identified as Dattatraya T Devare filed a PIL with the court in 2018. The petitioner requested the creation of a task force or committee to oversee the performance of the tree officers and tree authority.