Tree cutting on; Sec 144 clamped; Prakash Ambedkar detained, released
As the felling of trees in Aarey Colony in Mumbai continued amid prohibitory orders for the second day on Sunday to make way for a Metro car shed, the Supreme Court on Sunday constituted a special Bench for an urgent hearing against the cutting of the trees on Monday.
The SC set up a special Bench on the basis of a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of India by one Rishav Ranjan against the cutting of the trees. The top court decided to register the letter as a public interest litigation.
Meanwhile, Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar was detained when he tried to enter Aarey Colony where heavy security has been deployed at its five entry points, including the key connecting road near the Western Express Highway, to prevent people from going towards the area and to avoid any untoward incident.
The police official said the situation was expected to become normal soon. Patrolling was stepped up in the tribal hamlets located in Aarey area and those found assembling there were being taken into custody, but later let off after proper verification, he said.
On Saturday, clashes broke out between the police and green activists who tried to stop tree cutting by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) in Aarey Colony, leading to arrest of at least 29 people.
The MMRCL started hacking trees from Friday night to make way for the car shed, hours after the Bombay High Court dismissed four petitions challenging the decision to allow felling of nearly 2,700 trees in the prime green lung of the city.
