Observing that it ‘raises substantial issue of compliance of environmental norms,’ the National Green Tribunal recently took a suo motu cognisance of the Indian Express Investigation report titled ‘Mumbai lost over 21,000 trees in 6 years to make way for Metro, road projects’ published last month. The panel issued notices to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board (MPCB) through their respective member secretaries, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (HoFF), Maharashtra, Commissioner of Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai district collector and added them as respondents in the plea. A quorum of Justices Prakash Shrivastava (chairperson), Arun Kumar Tyagi (Judicial member) and Afroz Ahmad- expert member in an order passed on April 16 referred to a report published on March 26 in the Indian Express, which, stated that Mumbai has witnessed felling of at least 21,028 trees over the past six years, according to data provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to The Indian Express under the RTI Act. The NGT noted that the report relates to the ‘fast depleting urban …