I.A. NOS. 3975/2018, 3976/2018, 35972 OF 2020 I.A. NOS. 54455 & 54459 OF 2018
I.A. NOS. 15724,43243 AND 43237 OF 2019 IN I.A NO. 54455 OF 2018
I.A. NOS.94794 AND 94795 OF 2019
I.A. NOS.112182 AND 112185 OF 2019
I.A. NOS. 134453, 134454/2019 AND 3186 OF 2020
I.A. NOS. 171139 AND 171142 OF 2019
I.A. NOS. 3419, 3420 AND 3424 OF 2020
I.A. NOS. 4115, 4118 AND 4119 OF 2020
I.A. NOS. 15274, 15276 AND 15277 OF 2020
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 782 OF 2020
At the request of Mr. M.C. Mehta, petitioner-in-person, we grant three months’ time to undertake further visits and carry out sampling and
analysis of major drains/water bodies and the proposed leather parks and also discuss with the local authorities so that the final report may be
submitted before this Court.
List the matter(s) after three months along with the report.
I.A. NOS. 107645, 107646 AND 107647 OF 2020
Issue notice returnable in January, 2021
I.A. NO. 42482 OF 2020
I.A. NOS. 72769 AND 72770 OF 2020
I.A. D.NO. 31832 OF 2020
Put up in the month of January, 2021.
I.A. NO. 577 OF 2017, I.A. NO. 46595 OF 2017, I.A. NO. 51269 OF 2017, I.A. NO. 19749 OF 2018, I.A. NOS. 97081 & 97085 OF 2018, I.A.
NOS. 136682 & 136683 OF 2018 AND I.A.D.NO. 102976 AND 102977 OF 2019
These are the applications for permission to fell thousands of trees. The Public Works Department (PWD), Uttar Pradesh, assured that they will
compensate by planting the same type of trees in another area so that there is no loss to the environment in general.
It is not possible for us to accept a compensation in merely arithmetical terms particularly since there is no statement forthcoming from the State of
Uttar Pradesh or the PWD as to the nature of the trees that is to say whether they are classified as shrubs or large trees. Moreover, there is no
information available to us regarding the age of the trees since it is obvious that there cannot be compensatory reforestation if a sampling is planted
after one hundred year old tree is cut down.
Ms. Aishwarya Bhati, learned Additional Solicitor General appearing for the respondent â€" State of Uttar Pradesh, is not in a position to make a
statement as to how the Forest Department of Uttar Pradesh intends to evaluate the trees in question. Clearly they cannot do so in terms of the timber
but must adopt a method of evaluation which takes into account the oxygen producing capacity of a particular tree over its remaining life span,
assuming that it may be cut now.
Mr. A.D.N. Rao, learned counsel, makes a statement that there is a system of evaluation called Net Present Value (NPV). The State of Uttar
Pradesh is expected to look at the NPV method of evaluation also. In any case, at the request of Ms. Aishwarya Bhati, learned ASG, we adjourn the
matter(s) for a period of four weeks so that the State of Uttar Pradesh may inform the Court about the method of evaluation it intends to adopt. The
State of Uttar Pradesh may also consider the reduction in the number of trees proposed to be fell for the stated purposes of building road etc.
It is to be kept in mind that the only effect that is likely to arise if the trees are retained would be that the roads may not be straight and therefore, not
capable of accommodating high speed traffic. Such an effect may not necessary be deleterious particularly since high speed on the highways is known
to cause serious accidents and cause of innumerable deaths on Indian roads.
List the matter(s) after four weeks along with Writ Petition (C) No.295/2012.
