The Bombay High Court today refused to declare Aarey colony a forest and also declined to quash the BMC tree authority's decision allowing felling of over 2,600 trees by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd, in the suburban green zone to pave way for a metro car-shed.<br />''<br />''A division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Bharati Dangre dismissed four petitions filed by NGOs and environmental activists on issues related to Aarey colony in Goregaon, a major green lung of the metropolis.<br />''<br />''The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had given the tree hacking approval on August 29, 2019, triggering protests by green activists and common citizens who launched a "Save Aarey" campaign.<br />''<br />''The court said, the remedy is before the Supreme Court or the National Green Tribunal. HC further said that they have applied the principle of commonality and not decided on merit.<br />''<span style="color: #222222;"><br />''The Maharashtra government has claimed Aarey colony cannot be termed a forest and that the issue has been already decided by another HC bench.   </span><br />