The Bombay High Court has expressed serious concern over the rapid loss of green cover in the city, warning of significant environmental damage and health risks.
The court observed that the decreasing natural sources of oxygen might soon force residents to rely on oxygen cylinders for their health.
This issue emerged during a petition by the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL) requesting approval to clear 847 mangrove trees across 3.35 hectares in Palghar district.
The clearing is necessary for constructing a 13.06-kilometer power transmission line for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad emphasized that cutting trees and mangroves causes irreversible environmental damage.
The bench also criticized the state's compensatory afforestation policy for planting replacement trees far from the affected areas.
