22 October,2010 07:01 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
A bench of Chief Justice Shah and Justice D Y Chandrachud at the Bombay High Court has given time to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to revamp its existing Tree Authority Committee (TAC) of 30 members. City-based activists Deepak Vahikar and Vaibhav Gandhi had challenged the validity of the TAC and filed a PIL on May 24, 2009.
During the hearing, the court continued the year-long stay on TAC members giving permissions to cut trees in the city. The court has given more time to PMC to reconstitute the TAC for making it more useful and productive.
Vahikar and Gandhi had raised objections to the presence of 12 members in the committee who belonged to a non-governmental organisation called Ranjai. On behalf of the PMC, Advocate Kumbhkoni and Dr Sadhana Mahashabde requested some time to revamp the existing TAC and the court agreed.
The high court has issued an order to the Tree Authority to furnish details on the non-official experts nominated by the PMC. According to the high court order, the Tree Authority will have to give details like members' names, their background, experience and special qualifications in the area of tree conservation.
Vahikar and Gandhi had filed a PIL demanding they need to know whether members nominated by the department had any expertise in tree conservation.
