Felling down of trees in MLA Colony: PIL filed in Orissa High Court

Bhubaneswar: Demanding an intervention of the Orissa High Court into the matter of cutting down of age old trees in Unit-IV of Bhubaneswar, a 60-year-old woman today filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the court.

Jayanti Das, the petitioner, stated approximately 870 age old trees in Unit-IV, Bhubaneswar have been cut for construction of MLA colony, mall, P.S. GYM etc.

She prayed before the high court to give a directive to the parties made in the case to stop cutting of trees in and around the existing MLA colony, Unit-IV, Bhubaneswar.

Also, she asked for a direction to the parties not to damage, fell, uproot, cut down, burn down or otherwise destroy part of trees.

The petitioner prayed before the court for a directive to the parties to provide satellite pictures of the area before and after cutting the old age trees.

“Direct the opposition parties to file affidavit about the number of trees already cut and deposit the compensation according to the Supreme Court guidelines for the trees already cut to the agencies as deemed fit by the court for protection of environment,” the PIL read.

The Secretary of Forest and Environment department; Chief Secretary of Odisha; Principal Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management; Principal Secretary of General Administration department; Union Cabinet Secretary; Ministry of Forest & Environment Secretary; Bhubaneswar Development Authority Chairman; Housing and Urban Development department Principal Secretary; Odisha Forest Development Corporation Chairman; District Forest Officer of City Forest Division, Bhubaneswar have been made parties in the PIL.