Pune:
The Bombay high court (HC) on Thursday expressed its dismay over the functioning of the Pune Tree Authority (PTA) of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Chief justice Mohit Shah and justice DY Chandrachud, hearing a petition filed by activists Dipak Vahikar and Vaibhav Gandhi against the committee, directed the panel to submit a compliance report.
Both these activists had moved the court over the functioning of the committee, tree felling and other issues in connection with the depleting green cover of the city.
The main function of the PTA is to give permission for cutting of trees and ensuring that new trees are replanted to replenish the green cover. It is tasked with monitoring the green cover of the city.
However, last year the HC froze the powers of the PTA and directed it to seek permission of the HC for cutting of trees. The PTA has to forward applications for tree cutting to the HC after receiving them.
Priten Kiledar, the counsel for Vahikar and Gandhi, told DNA the HC was extremely critical about the functioning of the tree authority. "The high court has also ordered the Pune police commissioner to provide police protection to the petitioners for free," Kiledar added.
The HC has asked that when there are 27 members in the PTA, why is it unable to take decisions. "The court has also asked why the post of tree officer is lying vacant in the PMC," he added.
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