Summary:
Mere existence of trees and plants doesn't make an area a forest, a two-judge bench of the Bombay High Court said on Tuesday as it took up 17 petitions opposing various aspects of the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro-3 project. The court chose four petitions and distilled the issues it would be deciding on. "Forest does not mean just trees and plants. Forest is like the Amazon forest where the vegetation is so rich and thick that light does not reach the ground," said Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog. On the petition challenging the proposed clearing of over 2,600 trees for the car shed at Aarey, the court expressly asked MMRCL to not proceed till September 30..