The tussle between the environmentalists and authorities has taken a new turn with recent advancements to the Metro 3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) car shed project at Aarey Colony. The 4-member committee which was formed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to find an alternative site for the Metro 3 car shed, recently submitted a report stating that there are 'no viable alternatives available'.
The committee that was headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Manoj Saunik and also included the Managing Director of Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation, Principle Secretary (Environment) and the Chief forest conservator of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali) have reportedly recommended lifting up the stay on the construction work.
The problem for environmentalists has not ended yet. The National Green Tribunal has disposed off an application that opposed exclusion of parts of Aarey Milk Colony from the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
Also Read: Fences Around Metro 3 Construction Site Increase Their Height, Environmentalist Get Suspicious
Environmentalist and Aarey activist Zoru Bathena begged to differ and said, "They have only looked into one original option i.e. Kanjurmarg and one completely new option- Sariput Nagar in Andheri East and ignored every other viable option. Alternative sites that are en route like Kalina, BKC and Backbay, where land is available and there is no change in alignment needed, have simply been ignored. If they dont even look at these available options, how can they ever reach any conclusion? "
According to environmentalist and founder of Vanshakti Stalin Dayanand,"This was expected. This committee of serving government officers will never give an opinion contrary to Ashiwni Bhide. To shift the depot to Kalina , BKC or Kanjurmarg will not cost anything. It will be less than half of the cost to build it at Aarey. Much to the shock of the various petitioners, the case was "disposed off" by the NGT's Principal Bench, without lawyers from either the petitioners' side or the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) present."
Also Read: Ashish Shelar Refers Aarey As 'Forest'; Alleges Shiv Sena Is Allotting Aarey Land To Builders
Stalin Dayanand and other activists plan to move the Supreme Court to challenge what they term as the "arbitrary" manner in which the NGT Principal Bench had disposed off the matter which have raised several doubts.
Notably, the Aarey Colony issue created a national furore when thousands of trees were cut at the midnight of October 4, 2019. Activists protesting against it were detained which led to the uproar. Uddhav Thackeray and Aditya Thackeray had ensured back then that will not allow Metro 3 car shed to be built at the cost of environment if they come to power. However, in Uddhav Thackeray's first press conference as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra he stated that all construction work at Aarey Colony should be stopped and assured the activists that his committee will look out for alternative options.
Also Read: Aarey Activist Remind Uddhav Thackeray Of His Promise
At a recent Harvard US-india Initiative (HUII), State Environment and Toursim Minister Aditya Thackeray had said,
"Aarey isn’t just about trees. I understand that when you want to create highways, create dams, you want to have the infrastructure, somewhere you will have deforestation. I will not deny that. Because you will have lands with forest areas which can be put for some other uses. The point is, do you really want to take away the city’s flood plain and convert it into something that can be put at somewhere as well. The environmental cost is extremely important."
According to recent reports by The Hindu, Aditya Thackeray stated that there's no reason to worry as the complete report is yet to be submitted. Even if the report has been submitted to the Chief Minister Office (CMO), the recommendations are not binding. Final decisions will be taken only after studying the report.
Also Read: Here's What Aarey Activists Have To Say To Aditya Thackeray
Share
Tweet
