Supreme Court notifies Centre on plea against exempting authorities from undertaking Environment Impact Assessment
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Last Updated: Mar 09, 2021, 02:56 PM IST
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The direction was passed by a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde which was hearing a plea by NGO Association For Protection Of Democratic Rights against felling of over 350 trees for construction of railway over bridges (ROB) and widening of National Highway-112 from Barasat to Petrapole on the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.
The Supreme Court Tuesday sought response from the Centre on a plea challenging the notification exempting authorities from undertaking the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) if a road project has length less than 100 kilometer. The apex court, meanwhile, directed the Centre, West Bengal government and an NGO to exchange names among themselves which were suggested for being appointed in an expert panel on fixing criteria on felling of trees for projects on the basi
Prima facie Inclined to strike down Centre’s notification on EIA for projects, says Supreme Court
Updated:
Updated:
February 18, 2021 20:00 IST
A committee of four experts, appointed earlier by the apex court, had valued at ₹220 crore the 300 heritage trees which were to be chopped for the construction of five railways over bridges in West Bengal.
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The Supreme Court of India.
A committee of four experts, appointed earlier by the apex court, had valued at ₹220 crore the 300 heritage trees which were to be chopped for the construction of five railways over bridges in West Bengal.
The Supreme Court on Thursday orally observed that
"We will lay down guidelines on this. Firstly, we want to say the cost of the project will include the cost of the value of the true and secondly, the trees of certain types and certain age will never be cut down. We want to determine the age of maturity of trees," a bench headed of Chief Justice S A Bobde said.
Updated Feb 11, 2021 | 18:13 IST
The committee suggested that instead of cutting down trees for highway projects, the governments should first explore alternative options for these projects. Representational Image | Photo Credit: PTI
Ever thought we will able to quantify and put a price tag on the oxygen we get from trees?
Well, in a first, a Supreme Court panel has managed to put a price tag on a tree. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde had set up a committee in February to evaluate the true value of a tree when a PIL had challenged the West Bengal government s decision to cut 356 trees to construct five railway overbridges costing Rs 500 crore. The committee comprised Soham Pandya, B K Maji, Niranjita Mitra, N K Mukarji and Sunita Narain.
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Unfortunately, human race loves money so much that all things precious are more important than all things priceless. To make the mankind understand the true value of nature, now the Supreme Court has put a price tag on a tree. And it is Rs 72 lakh.
ANI
The true value of a tree, if it has hundred years of lifespan left, would be Rs 72 lakh. The value calculated, takes into account the innumerable benefits of a tree to mankind, its surroundings and the environment. It also takes into account the cost of oxygen the tree would emit into the atmosphere, the Supreme Court was informed on Wednesday.