Dia Mirza, Farhan Akhtar And Other Celebs Condemn Authorities For Cutting Trees Of Aarey Forest
Bombay High Court has dismissed all petitions against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC decision which allowed felling of more than 2700 trees there for metro car shed. Protestors were later removed from the spot by police. Bollywood celebrities condemned the decision and expressed their anger.
Several people gathered at Mumbai's Aarey Forest to protest against the felling of trees on October 05. Bombay High Court has dismissed all petitions against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) decision which allowed felling of more than 2700 trees there, for metro car shed.
Tree felling started at Aarey after Bombay HC throws out Public Interest Litigations (PILs).
Protestors were later removed from the spot by police. The latest round of showdown began on Friday night after the MMRC began cutting trees in there, just hours after the Bombay High Court dismissed the petition filed by environmentalists to declare the area like a forest.
Agencies
Reacting to the news, Bollywood celebrities condemned the decision and expressed their anger.
Isn¡¯t this illegal!?! This is happening at #Aarey right now. Why? How? @AUThackeray @mybmc @CMOMaharashtra @TOIIndiaNews @MumbaiMirror @fayedsouza @VishalDadlani @ShraddhaKapoor pic.twitter.com/V8IrO6M2dU
¡ª Dia Mirza (@deespeak) October 4, 2019
There is supposed to be a 15 day waiting period after permission is granted and notice has been uploaded on official website. But there is no waiting here. Our trees are being cut as citizens desperately plead to STOP this! @moefcc @PrakashJavdekar #Aarey https://t.co/nmVP7WllI7
¡ª Dia Mirza (@deespeak) October 4, 2019
In the cover of darkness the axe falls on our trees . RIP #AareyForest ... we failed you . My heart breaks to know that by morning many proud erect trees will have fallen to human greed . pic.twitter.com/VJdnRl7o6c
¡ª Onir (@IamOnir) October 4, 2019
We mourn the demise of 3000 trees at #AareyForest. It¡¯s a sad day for all those who considered trees as part of their lives, who considered trees as one of d biggest gift of Nature God. MUMBAI will pay the price for this destruction and we will suffer helplessly. @ConserveAarey
¡ª Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) October 4, 2019
Cutting trees at night is a pathetic attempt at trying to get away with something even those doing it know is wrong. #Aarey #GreenIsGold #Mumbai
¡ª Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) October 5, 2019
Meanwhile, Section 144 of the CrPC (banning unlawful assembly) has been imposed in Aarey Colony and its surrounding areas after protests over cutting of trees. Environment activists criticised the authorities, claiming that almost 200 trees have been cut so far. They alleged the metro corporation wants to finish the job before October 10, when the matter comes before the National Green Tribunal.
"This matter is going to be heard by the NGT on October 10, and we hope to get some respite from there. But it seems like the authorities want to eliminate the entire green patch before the hearing," Stalin D, one of the activists, said.