Court halts tree felling in Mizoram

The Gauhati High Court has issued an interim order restraining the Mizoram government from further tree felling on vacated Assam Rifles land in Aizawl. The order came in response to a Public Interest Litigation alleging large-scale cutting of century-old trees for a road widening project. The court has asked the state to explain the felling and will hear the matter again on May 18. The case has intensified the debate between urban development and heritage preservation in Mizoram's capital.