Mumbai: Stepping up pressure on the government to follow eco-friendly policies while ushering in development and save the environment, activists have organised a human chain to raise the demand for a green manifesto for the forthcoming elections.
At least seven different groups from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region are expected to participate and will pledge not to vote in the elections if parties do not promise that no harm will be done to the environment in the name of development.
The human chain will be held at 4.30 pm from Marine Drive on March 30 and environmental groups such as Save Aarey Group, Save Our Coast (The coastal road group), AVNI, Navi Mumbai Wetlands and Mangroves, tribals from Yeoor Environmental Society, tribals from Aarey Colony, anti-bullet train activists from Palghar and fisherfolk from Uran will participate. Around 2,000 residents are expected to join the human chain.
An organiser of the human chain, Radhika Jhaveri, said, “We want parties to include eco-friendly policies for the city's infrastructural development in their manifestos; otherwise, we will not vote for them. It is such an environmental hazard to give 33 hectares for the metro car shed in Aarey and 30 hectares for the metro car shed in Thane. The coastal road poses harm to the sea coast”.
“Parties should include the environment in their agendas,” she added.
A striking example of a party turning away from their promise is Shiv Sena, which had strongly protested against Metro car shed in Aarey. However, now the party has allied with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for upcoming polls.
