Mumbai: Bombay HC on Tuesday asked the petitioner and the intervenor in a PIL that sought judicial intervention to prevent tree falls and any consequential injuries to submit to BMC their claim that 321 trees have yet not been de-concretised. Activist Sagar Ugale disputed BMC’s claim that only 5% of the trees in Mumbai are yet to be de-concretised. Thane resident Rohit Joshi had filed the PIL and expressed concern over trees falling during the monsoon. Ugale filed a plea for intervention stating that of over 830 trees inspected along 35 roads in seven civic wards, from Fort to Malad, Santacruz and Dahisar, 321 trees had inadequate open soil space or improperly constructed tree basins. He said 471 trees require further scientific de-concretisation. The HC division bench headed by Justice A S Gadkari gave the petitioner and the intervenor time to submit their data and grievances to BMC and posted the matter after four weeks.
