By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, June 28, 2022: The State government on Tuesday through an affidavit informed the Odisha High Court that 8,700 trees would be planted in lieu of felling of a total of 870 to make way for the construction of high-rise apartments for the members of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, its ten times.

The State government further informed the High Court that tree felling and other activities have been done in conformity with the provisions laid down in law.

The High Court while fixing the next date of hearing on the matter for September 7 has directed the opposite party (petitioner) to file her response.

A social activist Jayanti Das (petitioner) had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court against the proposal to cut around 870 numbers of age-old trees to make way for the construction of multi-storey quarter buildings for MLAs in the heart of Bhubaneswar.

Das had impleaded ten parties as respondents in the PIL including the Odisha government, Union of India, Union Ministry of Forest & Environment and chairman Odisha Forest Development Corporation amongst others.

The High Court during its earlier hearing on the matter had directed the Odisha government to appraise it through an affidavit on how many