Public hearing on axing of 2000 trees in Aarey today

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) garden department would hold a public hearing on Monday at MMRDA’s auditorium on a proposal to remove 2,702 trees in Aarey colony for the Metro 3 car shed.

The proposal is to cut 2,238 trees and transplanting the rest. The proposal was kept on hold, however, after the Supreme Court’s order that the car shed could be constructed at Aarey, the BMC republished the public notice.

Hundreds of citizen activists are expected to attend the hearing and revolt against the cutting of trees. NGOs and activists are urging the public personally and on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to file objections in large numbers.

A public meeting was held in October last year with regards to the same proposal at the Byculla zoo where hundreds of city activists, people from the tribal community, residents of Aarey and several conservationists were present. Prior to the meeting, the civic-body had already registered 33,000 suggestions and objections, and an additional 7,000 were accepted on the day of the hearing. However, the meeting saw chaos among officers and activists.

For the upcoming hearing, an online petition to save Aarey trees is created and is signed by over 50,000 supporters. Activists expect citizens would file at least 20,000 objections on Monday.  

Environmentalist Stalin. D said, “BMC and MMRC will not get different answers if they repeatedly ask citizens if they could cut the trees. The hearing should ideally be at the BMC’s Byculla garden office, but it has been scheduled at MMRDA’s auditorium, which is discouraging.”