BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday observed that there was competition among all authorities to defeat the orders of the court over the tree census, and directed the state government to file affidavit explaining why it restricted the jurisdiction of the Tree Authority to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike without seeking permission from the court.
Hearing public interest litigation filed by Dattatreya T Devare and Bangalore Environment Trust, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Hemant Chandangoudar issued this direction.
During the hearing, the counsel of the petitioner placed the copy of the notification, issued by the state on January 16, 2020, restricting the jurisdiction of the Tree Authority to BBMP limits.
Adjourning the hearing to February 18, the bench said the state has to explain its notification and also directed the Special Committee, constituted to take decision on cutting of trees, to place a copy of its permission granted to BMRCL.