Expressing serious concern over the steady decline of Nagpur’s green cover, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court observed that the city can no longer be described as the green city it once was. The remarks came during the hearing of a matter related to tree felling and compensatory plantation associated with the controversial London Street development project.
A division bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Raj Wakode questioned the environmental consequences of rapid urbanisation and the prevailing practice of compensatory plantation being carried out far from the locations where mature trees are felled.
Observing that Nagpur has gradually lost much of the greenery that once distinguished it, Justice Kilor remarked that large-scale development activities and indiscriminate tree cutting have altered the city’s landscape significantly.
The Bench noted that residents of localities where trees are removed are deprived of immediate environmental benefits such as shade, cleaner air, lower temperatures and biodiversity. These losses, the Court observed, cannot be effectively offset merely by planting saplings at distant locations.
“Planting trees elsewhere does not restore the ecological balance of the area where mature trees have been cut,” the Court observed.
Joint inspection of London Street ordered
To ascertain whether plantation can be undertaken within the affected locality itself, the High Court directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Amicus Curiae to jointly inspect a one-kilometre stretch of London Street.
The Court stated that if adequate space is found during the inspection, project developer Prafullved Infra Pvt Ltd will be required to plant 1,000 trees within the locality.
The direction followed the developer’s submission that no suitable space was available along London Street for compensatory plantation. While the company had earlier received permission to fell several trees for the project, the Court decided that its claim regarding lack of space should be verified through a physical inspection before any relief could be considered.
The matter pertains to the London Street road project connecting Khamla-Sneh Samvardhak Road with Jaitala Road, which has been under judicial scrutiny over concerns relating to tree cutting and environmental compliance.
Questions raised over plantation claims
During the hearing, discrepancies surfaced regarding the number of trees allegedly planted by the developer under compensatory plantation obligations.
According to an affidavit filed by the NMC, the developer had undertaken to plant nearly 10,000 trees. However, a field inspection conducted by civic officials on April 22 and 23 found only 4,213 trees at the site, of which 3,986 were alive. The findings prompted the Court to examine the accuracy of the plantation claims and the effectiveness of monitoring mechanisms.
PIL originated from citizen’s complaint
The issue first reached the High Court after Advocate Dnyandeep Bhongde, a resident of Khamla, wrote to the Court raising concerns over tree felling and environmental degradation linked to the project. Treating the communication as a matter of public importance, the High Court converted it into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
Subsequently, the Amicus Curiae questioned the developer’s claim of planting nearly 10,000 trees, leading the Court to direct the NMC to conduct an independent verification and submit a factual report. Court records show that in June 2023, the NMC granted permission to cut 73 trees on Plot No. 5, subject to the condition that 2,561 trees would be planted as compensation.
Meanwhile, proposals seeking permission to cut an additional 67 trees on Plot No. 4 and 138 trees on Plot No. 3 are still pending approval. The NMC informed the Court that no final permission would be granted until all previously imposed plantation conditions are fully complied with.
The observations have once again brought attention to Nagpur’s shrinking green cover and the need to balance infrastructure development with environmental protection. The Bench’s remarks underline the judiciary’s growing insistence that compensatory plantation should serve as a meaningful environmental safeguard rather than a mere procedural requirement.
Advocate Deepak Thakre appeared for the State Government, while Advocate Gemini Kasat represented the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. The matter will be heard further after submission of the joint inspection report.
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