The High Court on Friday directed the State government to tree guards in the city.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice B V Nagarathna asked the government to suggest names of experts to be included in a proposed tree protection committee.
Leo Saldhana of the Environment Support Group, one of the petitioners, submitted before the court that according to a survey by his organisation, only 20 per cent of the two lakh trees planted last year by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and other agencies have survived.
He claimed that many trees have perished because of unscientific planting and nurturing methods.
The court had earlier held that government agencies should consult the public before cutting trees for road widening and other purposes.
It had initiated suo motu proceedings to conserve trees after former HC judge D V Shylendrakumar wrote to the then chief justice following reports of indiscriminate felling of trees.
BBMP Asked for
Expenditure Chart
The high court directed the BBMP to submit ward-wise accounts of expenditure on garbage clearance contracts and PAN and service tax numbers of all the contractors.
The court issued this order after a member of the expert committee submitted that it was difficult to implement waste segregation at source because of the existing nexus between contractors and the BBMP. It was hearing a public interest petition filed by advocate G R Mohan.
A division bench comprising Justice N Kumar and Justice B V Nagarathna asked the civic body to submit a comparative chart of expenditure on areas where it clears garbage on its own and those where private contractors do.
The bench held that it would examine if contracts have been awarded to the kin of existing contractors.
Meanwhile, after the expert committee failed to submit suggestions to improve the garbage clearance system in the city, the bench directed it to submit proposals in another 10 days. It adjourned the matter to June 13.
‘Manual Scavenging Rampant’
The counsel appearing on behalf of the pourakarmikas submitted before the High Court that manual scavenging is rampant in the city and pourakarmikas aren’t given the necessary tools to clear animal excreta.
He added that they are also not paid adequate wages. The court directed the counsel to file a separate petition on the matter.
Petition on Seat Allotment Deferred
The High Court adjourned a writ petition on the allotment of government quota medical seats filed by some students.
They requested the court to direct medical colleges to allocate the seats in accordance with the agreement entered into by them with the government.
The division bench directed the government advocate to make his submissions in the case on Wednesday and adjourned the case.
The students alleged that deemed universities and private colleges are not allocating the agreed number of seats under the government quota.
Some colleges were allocating seats in less sought after disciplines in post-graduate degree courses, the petition stated.
Mazurier Seeks consent to Visit France
Bangalore: The high court is likely to hear French consular official Pascal Mazurier’s application requesting authorisation to visit his ailing grandmother in France.
He has requested the court to allow him to go to France for a month. The matter did not come up for hearing for the last three days and Justice Budihal has agreed to hear the case on Monday.
Mazurier’s wife Suja Jones had accused him of molesting their two-year-old daughter and he was subsequently charged with sodomy. As per his bail conditions, Mazurier cannot travel abroad without the court’s permission.