While hearing the petition that was filed to barricade the axes from cutting down the trees at the government eye hospital in Egmore, Chennai, the Madras High court on Thursday directed the government and the hospital to stop axing out about 75 trees in the hospital premises to construct a building.

The reports say that the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and Government Ophthalmic Hospital in Egmore has proposed to cut down about 75 trees on the campus to construct a new building. A division bench of the High court comprising of Justices Vineet Kothari and Saravanan had instructed the additional advocate general to disclose the status of the construction and in its directive, the high court suggested the hospital to look out for alternatives without cutting down the trees or to hunt the possibilities of translocating the trees within the campus. 

After the hearing, the high court had ordered the government hospital not to cut down the trees till December 2nd without acquiring consent from the court and it had directed the hospital management to disclose the documents and permission it had obtained to start new construction.

The order from the High court has come with accord to the petition filed by the resident living close to the hospital where the petitioner had argued that the trees house the home to birds and helps to retain the groundwater in the area. He further cited the devastation of Cyclone Vardah that hit the shores and grounds of Chennai in 2016 and during the tenure, the cyclone rooted out most of the trees in the city.