Overview
- The National Green Tribunal’s Pune bench, which issued the order Tuesday, halted all tree cutting within Nashik city limits until April 28.
- The tribunal scheduled an April 28 hearing and directed the civic body to file a counter-affidavit, as the mayor argued road widening is needed to curb crashes and prepare for a surge of pilgrims.
- Before the stay took effect, crews cut 22 of 44 heritage trees on Gangapur Road during a road-widening push tied to Kumbh preparations.
- Activist Manish Baviskar filed the case and shared live video of ongoing felling, and his counsel warned officials that any further cutting could trigger contempt proceedings.
- The petition challenges 35 municipal notices, disputes the number of trees at risk, and alleges missing data, a non-functional tree authority, and no proven compensatory planting on the ground.