Drama at Aarey as tree cutting begins, activists storm site

FOR METRO SHED MMRC begins tree felling after high court dismisses pleas to quash BMC tree authority’s approval

Aarey Milk Colony was the site of drama late on Friday night as Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), emboldened by the Bombay high court’s (HC) decision to uphold the tree authority’s nod to the felling of 2,646 trees, got cracking.

At least 200 trees were felled before environmentalists and residents stormed the site, forcing MMRC workers to flee.

Despite repeated calls and text messages, Ashwini Bhide, managing director of MMRC, who were cutting the trees, and BMC chief Praveen Pardeshi did not respond.

However, Bhide later tweeted: “A new false propaganda is in the air that 15 days’ notice is required after the tree authority order is uploaded on the website. This is absolutely baseless. Tree Authority order is issued on 13th Sept 19. 15 days are over on 28th Sept. Action awaited till Hon HC verdict was out.”

Activist Stalin D, who was at the spot, said, “Trees have been massacred. At least 200 trees have been hacked. Workers at the site fled after seeing the protests,” said Stalin. “What was the hurry to fell the trees?”

Police said they had to detain around 100 people to ensure calm. “More than 300 police personnel are at the site and the situation is under control,” said police spokesperson Pranay Ashok.

On Friday morning, a division bench of chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog and justice Bharati Dangre dismissed petitions by activist Zoru Bhathena and Shiv Sena corporator Yashwant Jadhav, who is also a member of the BMC’S tree authority.

Bhathena had questioned the validity of the decision on the grounds of lack of application of mind and due deliberations on the proposal submitted by the MMRC, seeking the removal of 2,702 trees — 2,238 to be cut and 464 to be transplanted. This number was later revised by the tree authority to 2,646.

“The fact that the proposal of the project proponent was scaled down with respect to the number of trees to be felled is proof of the decision being fair, transparent and based on reason,” said the bench. The bench rejected Bhathena’s argument that the authority did not get adequate time to deliberate.

It said that the deliberations took place not only at its meeting on August 29, but also during the three site visits to Aarey Colony.

SATYABRATA TRIPATHY/HT PHOTO Late on Friday, environmentalists rushed to Aarey Milk Colony on hearing that trees were being axed at the site of the Metro-3 car shed. As tensions rose after activists stopped MMRC workers from cutting trees, police resorted to lathicharge and around 100 activists were detained.