Madurai High Court to table report on tree felling

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, before whom a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to forbear the Registrar General of the high court and his office from spoiling the environment by indiscriminately cutting trees on the campus came up for hearing, directed the Registrar to file the status report by April 27. 

Advocate E Vijay Anand made an urgent mention on the issue on Tuesday based on a report. The advocate contended that the issue needs an urgent hearing by the court, as a number of trees in the High Court’s Madurai Bench are being cut down for constructing a building to accommodate the office of Additional Solicitor General. 

Convinced by his submission, the Bench directed the advocate to file a formal petition on Wednesday. The petitioner, M Karl Marx, had contended that both the High Court and Supreme Court had time and again highlighted the importance of preserving the ecology and environment. 

Also, despite an order issued on August 17, 2015 directing the authorities to consider alternative measures for felling trees on the Madurai High Court campus, the authorities resort to indiscriminate cutting of trees to accommodate buildings, the plea said.