Bombay High Court Directs Nagpur Municipal Corporation to Remove Concrete from Trees The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to fully remove concrete encasements from trees within the city, emphasizing that partial compliance would not be acceptable. During a hearing on Tuesday, the bench, comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Raj Wakode, noted that while the NMC had already freed 2,569 of the 3,691 trees affected by concrete encasements, the court made it clear that complete removal was mandatory before the next scheduled hearing. The court also highlighted that the NMC had been granted sufficient time to address the issue and urged the civic body to submit proof of full compliance. The directive came during a joint hearing of two public interest litigations (PILs). One PIL was initiated suo motu by the court in 2018, while the other was filed by environmental expert Sharad Patil and others. These petitions sought to curb large-scale tree felling under the guise of development and ensure the removal of concrete that restricts natural tree growth. The court reiterated that the responsibility for removing concrete encasements lies with the NMC, regardless of which authority manages the roads. It also mandated that the respective authorities reimburse the civic body for any expenses incurred during the process. According to records presented in court, 3,360 of the affected trees fall under the NMC’s jurisdiction. During an earlier hearing, the bench had clarified that the NMC must take ownership of the task, even if road management is handled by other entities. The NMC submitted a progress report on Tuesday, detailing the work completed so far.#bombay_high_court #nagpur_municipal_corporation #nmc #sharad_patil #radhika_bajaj
