Mumbaikars Make Desperate Efforts To Save 2700 Trees In Aarey Forest As Govt Orders To Cut Them

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's Tree Authority appears to be ready to sacrifice the all important 2,700 for the Metro rail project. The authority gave green signal for cutting the trees that come on the way of the so called development project. People, particularly those with environment awareness are livid with such a decision. They are expected to approach the Bombay High Court.

One of the expert committee members, Shashirekha Iyer, told NDTV, "The vote was held in a chaotic situation and her vote was counted as yes in the pandemonium."

Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd's (MMRCL) proposal for cutting 2,232 trees (to be compensated by planting thrice as many saplings elsewhere) and transplanting 469 at Aarey for the car shed came before the Tree Authority for permission on Thursday.

However, one of the three experts on the Tree Authority which played a crucial role in approving the cutting of trees, has now backtracked.

BCCL

A report by The Times of India quoted her as saying that there was some confusion at the meeting that her vote was misunderstood.

Dr Sashirekha Sureshkumar, head of Botany Department in the Mithibai College is the expert who backtracked. Talking to TOI, she said, ¡°There was a lot of confusion. Some people were demanding more time. When the proposal was passed, I was under the impression that it was to take a decision later. But after some time, I realised it was for the Metro proposal. We did not have time to clarify."

Sashirekha was nominated as an expert to the Tree Authority by the WWF-India. In a statement released by the organisation, it said that Sashirekha has always opposed the cutting of trees and had communicated this to the organisation earlier too.

The Tree Authority's approval was mandatory for cutting any tree in the city for infrastructure or other projects.

BCCL

The Shiv Sena and several other environmental activists have been opposing this decision of the BMC.

Aarey Forest is the only green relief in the city packed with buildings. Unfortunately, due to certain upcoming projects, Mumbai stands to lose one of the last green patches.

Government records show that Aarey is an integral part of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and thus protected under forest laws. It has over 5 Lakh trees, it is home to 9 resident leopards and has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna.

Even today, original adivasis (indigenous inhabitants of this area) live in 27 tribal hamlets in Aarey.