Khamla tree felling prompts HC to treat citizen’s letter as PIL

Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Wednesday converted a citizen's letter into a Public Interest Litigation after a lawyer alleged large-scale felling of mature trees in Khamla along the proposed London Street corridor, raising concerns over environmental safeguards and transparency by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.A division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode directed the registry to treat the representation as a PIL and appointed Raul Dhande as amicus curiae, asking him to file a comprehensive petition within two weeks.The letter, written by Dnyandeep Bhongade, a 39-year-old lawyer and resident of Khamla, was accompanied by photographs documenting tree cutting along Sneha Savardhak Road up to Jaitala, including areas near Khamla market and the old meat market, where a commercial mall is under construction. While stating that he supported urban development, Bhongade described the environmental cost as "deeply distressing"."I spent 37 years of my life in this area and always supported development," he wrote, adding that he felt "very sad, helpless and angry" after seeing a "huge number of big trees" being cut.Bhongade questioned whether mandatory compensatory plantation norms were being followed, stating that residents did not see a single new tree planted nearby. He noted that a mature tree takes 10 to 15 years to grow and sustain ecological balance for decades, making such loss "irreversible in the short term".Calling for disclosure, he said authorities must make public how many trees were felled and how many were replanted. "To a common man, it is like searching for the black cat in the dark room," he wrote, pointing out that citizens only knew the area had dense tree cover for over 40 years but lacked official data.Describing trees as "the lungs of city", Bhongade warned that large-scale deforestation would affect soil stability, groundwater retention and oxygen levels. He also drew attention to the ecological linkage with Sonegaon Lake, about 1.5km away, arguing that surrounding green patches help maintain its water levels. "We are ready for development, but what is the cost of it?" he asked. "Malls and showrooms cannot give us fresh oxygen, fresh air or the sound of birds. These trees give all this free of cost."The court's intervention now sets the stage for a closer judicial examination of the alleged tree felling and the civic body's compliance with environmental norms.Key TakeawaysLawyer alleged large-scale cutting of mature trees along London Street stretchArea covered: Sneha Samvardhak Road to Jaitala Road near Khamla marketCommercial mall construction cited near old meat marketNo compensatory plantation in locality visible, claims lawyerEcological link flagged with Sonegaon lake 1.5km awayPetition to seek data on trees felled and replanted