Activists write to Japanese PM to save Aarey

The protest around the cutting of 2,700 trees in Aarey just refuses to die down. It has been three weeks and citizens and activist continue to demand that these trees should not be cut or relocated to make way for the Metro project.

Now, a group of these protestors have reached out to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeking his intervention to scrap the project.

The reason to reach out to Japan stems from the fact that Rs 23,136 crore Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro Line 3 project is part-funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). JICA will be investing Rs 13,235 crore in this project.

Avkash Jadhav, who is an Associate Professor and Head of Department, History, of St Xavier’s College, and an activist has penned a letter to the Prime Minister of Japan asking him to intervene in this matter. The letter has been translated into Japanese by an NGO with the objective that it will reach the people who have the decision making authority in this manner.

It is noteworthy that Jadhav had also asked Bear Grylls, an English adventurer, to reach out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and prevent the car shed from coming up at Aarey.

People of Mumbai along with activists have been protesting to save Aarey after Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Tree Authority gave nod to cut 2,700 trees in Aarey colony to construct a car shed for the Metro 3 (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) project.

Congress has filed an affidavit against this move. Shiv Sena has also joined the opposition against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Tree Authority decision to cut 2,700 trees in Aarey Colony for the construction of Metro 3 car shed. Aditya Thackeray is often seen tweeting against cutting of these trees and he recently even penned an opinion piece in a leading daily questioning this move.

However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was in favour of cutting of these trees. He added that the Supreme Court has said that they are not forest trees and chopping trees and forest being destroyed is just a misconception.