Mumbai: After son Aaditya Thackeray opposed the removal of more than 2,600 trees for the construction of Metro 3 car shed at Aarey, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, too, opposed the move. Sena chief said that plan would meet the same fate as Nanar refinery, which was scrapped by the government after stiff opposition from Sena.
“Efforts were made to push for the Nanar refinery project, but you all know what happened to it. Aarey (car shed) will meet the same fate as Nanar,” Uddhav said on Monday.
Aaditya had earlier said that his party wouldn’t allow cutting of any tree in Aarey. He also sought transfer of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporat-ion chief Ashwini Bhide’s over the issue.
Describing Aaditya’s intentions as ‘noble’, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that he would personally speak to Yuva Sena leader on the issue. Reiterating that the government has no option but to cut trees as ‘development is important’, Mr Fadnavis said that Aaditya ought to know the true motive of some of the protesters. The chief minister has also vehemently denied that Aarey is a forest, saying it is government land.
“The Supreme Court has already said that the proposed area for the car depot in Aarey Colony is not any forest land or a place rich in biodiversity, but it is government land where permission can be given. It has also ruled out the feasibility of any alternatives,” Mr Fadnavis had said.
Fierce opposition from the Sena had earlier forced the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government to scrap the Nanar refinery project in Ratnagiri district and now it is planning to shift it to Raigad district.
As Sena plans to stand firm on its opposition to the cutting of trees at Aarey, it is likely to strain its relations with the BJP on the issue.
The MMRC has announced its plan to cut down over 2,600 trees from Aarey colony in order to build a car shed for the Metro-III project. The colony, spread over 13,000 hectares, is home to over 27 Adivasi villages and home to various animal species.
