NARAYAN SURVE

HOW DARE YOU!

                  “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. People are suffering, people are dying, and entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are at the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of endless economic growth. How dare you!”

                The 16 year old environmental activist Greta Thunberg scolded in the United Nation’s summit. She is protesting for Climate change at global level. And the issue related to environment arose in the Mumbai. The last green lung of the Mumbai and the unique jungle within the premises of the concrete jungle is the Aarey Milk Colony. It was developed as milk colony for dairy development and was envisioned by Dara N Khurody in 1951. Further, the plans of the Film City and zoo were proposed. This expansion had to cover parts of Aarey forest. But recently it is in the controversy due to MMRCL’s (Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd) project which passes through Aarey which lead to deforestation.

             The issue starts when Committee for trees and Bombay High court gives the green signal to MMRCL to cut trees covering 21 sq. km. area. After few hours of the court’s decision almost 2646 tress cut down without intimidating the locals and arrested 29 protestors. The environmentalist wrote a letter to CJI Ranjan Gogoi seeking the action against the car shed project. The Supreme Court filed the Suo Motu* case against MMRCL and orders to Maharashtra government a status quo* till October 21 for the deforestation of the Aarey forest as well as released those protestors. But Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told court on behalf of Maharashtra government that whatever trees were required to cut had already cut & no further cutting required. As court order status quo only for cutting trees so the construction of the metro car shed is being carried out. So the locals and environmentalists carry on their protest on the huge level.

        Aarey forest is the great ecological site which consists of more than 290 wild species of flora and fauna, such as leopard and rusty spotted cats & 36 types of forest species trees. New species of scorpions and spiders discovered here. Heterrophrictus aareyeneis and Lychas aareyensis are the two species which named after the colony. 3500 Warli adivasi families and tribal groups live in the colony. In spite of having such rich biodiversity, government had claimed that Aarey is not a certified forest hence the land can be used for the metro project. But activists claimed that it is the small part of Sanjay Gandhi National Park with its separate identity.

               In this game of identity politics the issue is being churn between Development Vs Environment. The Managing Director of MMRCL Ashwini Bhide said in the statement to media that to construct something new destruction becomes inevitable but it also paves the way for new life and new creation. She further refused to comment citing election code of conduct. To set forest on protest, she is equally responsible as she was incapable to handle the local’s concerns and to manage the environmental aspect leading issue towards complexity. Here, the best example in the railways is of Metro Man E. Sreedharan. He handled the Delhi Metro Project along with Kokan Railway ideally without any environmental destruction. MMRCL’s Metro project in Aarey will bring only havoc in the future. The reason behind is the floodplain of Mithi river which will be impacted by the construction in Aarey. The massive destruction locals will face, which will be the same episodes of the happenings of 2005. This is the main problem claimed by activist Zoru Bhatena which should be consider while taking decision by the government.

               Government on the other hand, is playing environmental politics on the eve of Maharashtra assembly elections. BJP strongly wanted to build metro project while Shivsena is against it and INC & NCP are neutral on the topic. This issue is not so important in national or international politics like Amazone Fire but at the state level it is the most important by nature’s perspective. Still not a single political party mentioned environmental policies in their election manifesto. This is really unsolicited by these main political parties. This scenario will give birth to the Maharashtrian Greta Thunberg to ask in anger, HOW DARE YOU!  

-Aachal Burande

(Student of B.A. International Journalism)

Date: 15th October, 2019

                 

Suo Motu: It is the special power granted to judiciary of India which gives rights to the court to file a case or to take action on its will without any complaint or petition. Court usually takes suo motu action in case of gross negligence on part of public authorities and government.

Status quo: It means the position remain as it is. When it implemented, respondents are required to maintain the position as on the date of order.  )