The Supreme Court allowed the felling of 452 trees for the construction of an additional track for the railway line connecting Delhi to Agra via Mathura on Monday. The court also asked mandatory afforestation to be undertaken.
The decision given by a bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde comprising of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SA Nazeer also ordered the member secretary of National Legal Service Authority of India (NALSA) to deploy officer to inspect the site to prepare a periodical report on the condition of saplings planted as part of afforestation, every three months until further orders.
“We would want a report on it every three months updating on the conditions of the saplings, whether they have died or are alive,” said the Chief Justice.
The court also said that the officer appointed by NALSA will have to inspect the trees planted by the Northern Railways and forest department and also examine whether the saplings are being watered and are receiving proper nourishment.
“Whether any sapling that may have died has been replaced or not, the compliance with the condition imposed above the member secretary furnish status report every three months until further orders,” said the apex court.
The court also asked the UP government to do something about the overflowing drains in Agra, especially in the TTZ zone, and also inform it about what is being done.
“Give us a report on drains overflowing in Agra. There are open drains in TTZ, it is said water flows out on streets, it also resulted in the breeding of mosquitoes,” said the Chief Justice. The court also instructed that the report should be submitted in six weeks.
(With inputs from IANS)