Authorities began clearing trees at Aarey Milk Colony on Friday night, hours after the Bombay High Court dismissed petitions challenging the proposed Metro carshed there. Activists were quick to claim that the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd could not cut trees so early. Even Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray slammed the move. He tweeted, “There’s no point for the Central government ministry of climate change to exist, or to speak about plastic pollution when the @MumbaiMetro3 senselessly destroys the Aarey vicinity.” However, Ashwini Bhide, managing director of MMRCL, took to Twitter to clear the air. “A new false propaganda is in the air that 15 days notice is required after tree authority order getting uploaded on website. This is absolutely baseless. Tree Authority order is issued on 13th Sept 19. “15 days r over on 28th Sept. Action awaited till Hon HC verdict was out,” tweeted the top bureaucrat. She added, “Hon. Bombay HC has dismissed all petitions in unequivocally clear terms 2de. But sm people consider themselves superior 2 Judiciery (sic) as well. While their own actions r illegal they city foul. If you lose a battle in court, better to accept it honourably than to take it to street.” A BMC official confirmed to DNA that the Metro authorities had all the permission to clear trees at the carshed site.

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