The Supreme Court today has refused to hear the plea seeking permit entry to LPG/CNG/Electric Vehicles into the Matheran Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) for essential goods/supplies. The plea has sought directions to quash the Notification dated 04.02.2003, by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, by which Matheran (a hill station in Maharashtra) was declared as Eco-Sensitive Zone and it banned plying of Vehicular traffic within the Matheran Municipal limits, except ambulance and fire engine.
A two-judge bench comprising of Justices Indira Banerjee and V. Ramasubramanian observed that a similar petition is pending before the Bombay High Court and said, “there is a matter pending in High Court. We will give you liberty to approach High Court. There will be multiple orders else.”
Then Adv. Vivek Narayan Sharma, who was appearing for the petitioners, submitted, “Since September 2020, residents of Matheran are paying extra money. Please direct the High Court to take my matter urgently.”
To which Justice V. Ramasubramanian remarked in the lighter note that, “It is like you want the child to be named even before the marriage is performed.”
The bench then dismissed the petition as withdrawn with liberty to approach High Court.
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The Petitioner also sought interim relief in nature of a permit to LPG/CNG/Electric Vehicles to enter Matheran ESZ daily for the supply of Essential Goods thereby bringing ease and support into the lives of 30,000 residents of the area who are currently facing a hard time due to pandemic and the MoEF Notification.
The plea also submitted that Matheran being a hill station, all the revenue of Matheran city and residents is solely dependent on tourism. Due to the recent pandemic and various measures issued in the country, there is no business/income for the residents of Matheran. The plea states that there are around 6500 residents currently living in the Matheran Area who are facing a severe financial crisis due to the lack of business.
Source: ILNS