If you are on social media I’m pretty sure that you must have come around the word, “Aarey” at least ones. But I have met very few people who educated themselves about this situation. So I have to write this blog considering the urgency of the situation.
So here is what has been going on since last month or two.
- BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) deferred the MMRC’s (Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation) proposal of cutting down almost 2700+ trees in Sanjay GandhiNational Park and Aarey Forest to build a Metro 3 car shed in Aarey Colony and a zoo (which is kind of dumb in most people’s opinion).
- People have protested against this cause and sent over 80,000+ emails to the authorities and came together in the number of 800+ when BMC said that they will listen to the citizens and what they have to say (but denied their points anyway).
- The forest is home for 278+ species and to several local tribes(some of them living in the forest too). If these trees are chopped then all these wildlife species and tribes will go homeless.
Now, this was something that most of the people are aware of, but, there is more to it. Here are some facts that you may not know:
- One of the three botanists who played a very important role in approving whether or whether not is it safe to cut down the trees, backtracked. Dr Sashirekha Sureshkumar, head of Botany Department in the Mithibai College is the expert who backtracked. Talking to TOI, she said: “There was a lot of confusion. Some people were demanding more time. When the proposal was passed, I was under the impression that it was to take a decision later. But after some time, I realised it was for the Metro proposal. We did not have time to clarify.” She further added: “The entire process was too politically charged, and what happened is wrong. I am extremely disappointed. Despite being a botanist, I am being labelled a murderer of trees.” She has a history of opposing when it comes to cutting down of trees, so it is safe to assume that she can’t be lying and if she was then why would she back out now?
- While among a committee of 20 people all 6 Sena members voted against the MMRC’s proposal, BJP and NCP members voted in favour of the construction of car shed.
Now that you know a little BTS of the situation, here are some assumptions that people are making about ulterior motives that politicians and huge builders might have, once the Aarey is accessible:
- Big builders have been eyeing the property in Aarey from so long but Aarey somehow survived every single time.
- So this may be possible that this makes Aarey, easily accessible for those builders in the future to build huge building and make Aarey a concrete forest and hence it will be very easy for the people to prove it as a “dead forest”.
What will happen if this actually happens and we lost a huge part of the forest and eventually the entire forest:
- The whole ecosystem will be disturbed since all of these species depend on each other somehow. But if these trees will be cut this whole system will be destroyed and we should definitely expect the sighting of wild animals like leopards, to be normal because where will they go once there home is taken away from them.
- Less groundwater should be expected because since roads and buildings will be made, concrete will make the rainwater to seep into the ground more difficult. Which at the end of the day affect the left trees and in the near future may cause a minor drought.
- Pollution level will rise. A tree recycles the amount of CO2 in a year equivalent to the CO2 produced by a car while it travels 80km.
- Everything aside, it will be a failed war for all of us who seek a healthy future for ourselves and our offsprings.
Now that you are well aware of the topic the only question left is, “What can we do from our end?”
- If you are anywhere near the protests, which by the way are being constantly held every now and then, then do join them and be the part of the New Time War.
- If you are not somewhere around Mumbai then sign as many petitions as you can because these do help.
- Other things that you can do is create awareness about this situation by posting stuff on social media. But please, for the love of gods don’t share any fake news or something that you are not sure of because you do not know when something fake might go viral and make the situation even worse.
This was all that you need to know about the AArey Forest situation. I have read several articles to educate myself about this situation and I follow several people on social media who care and are actually taking steps toward educating others about the situation. The most active and environment aware person that I follow and personally like is Anushka Manchanda, she not only is a very pretty woman but she is a beauty with brains. She is aware of the current situation and hence follows a vegan lifestyle, not just a vegan diet but a vegan lifestyle and discourage plastic use and consumption in any way possible. Apart from her many celebrities like Kunal Pandagale a.k.a. Kaam Bhaari and actress Shradha Kapoor have used their voice to oppose this order.
The choice is up to you, it’s up to you if you share this furthermore, it is up to you if you stand with this or don’t give a shit.
Petitions: https://act.airalert.in/petitions/save-aarey-forest-mumbai-s-green-lungs
https://www.change.org/p/cm-devendra-fadnavis-jica-stop-the-cutting-of-3500-trees-in-aarey-forest
http://aareyconservationgroup.org/save-aarey-movement/
Sources:
https://www.scoopwhoop.com/news/expert-who-approved-cutting-of-aarey-forest-trees-backs-out/
https://www.newsclick.in/aarey-forest-bmc-approves-felling-trees
https://www.change.org/p/cm-devendra-fadnavis-jica-stop-the-cutting-of-3500-trees-in-aarey-forest
https://act.airalert.in/petitions/save-aarey-forest-mumbai-s-green-lungs
Ashna Meena 