Greens see Red over the Aarey Metro Car Shed Review Committee

Demand inclusion of independent experts and environmentalists

Mumbai: The joy and celebrations after the decision of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeay to stay all the activities related to Metro 3 Car Shed at Aarey Colony, seems to be short lived as the government completely ignored the environmentalists and independent scientists while forming the review committee for the Metro 3 Car Shed at Aarey Colony.

Thackeray, has formed a committee comprising the additional chief secretary (finance), who will be the head, and have the principal secretary (environment), the chairman and managing director of the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation, and Anwar Ahmad, Chief Conservator of Forests at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, as members.

Though the government claimed to have formed the committee to address the issues raised by the environmentalists and concerned citizens, the composition of the committee has raised many eye brows as none from among them has found place on the committee.

Speaking to thenews21.com, Stalin D, Director (Projects), Vanashakti, who spearheaded the Save Aarey movement said, “History is full of evidence no IAS officer has given an opinion against another IAS officer. The decision of pitching one administrative officer to review judgment of another is completely flawed.

People who were not involved in the earlier decision making process should have been taken on the committee.” Scientists in the earlier committee should have been included in this as well along with two retired forest department officials and a town planner, he added.

“Representation to Aarey Conservation Group (ACG) members and experts from NIREE and IIT should also have been given as the activists have always been positive about Metro rail project,” Stalin said.

The decision to have only bureaucrats on the committee has not gone down well with other activists too. Nandakumar Pawar, noted environment activist feels, betrayed by the decision. “The committee will not at all be able to do justice to the cause, we are fighting for. Environment would be the last thing on their priorities, after commercial considerations,” Pawar said, adding, “There are 82,000 objections from people to the car shed.

Ironically, no one wants to listen to people!” Amruta Bhattacharjee of ACG, is, however, optimistic about the final outcome of the exercise. She said, “Environment experts should have been part of the committee. Still, I will prefer to wait and watch how the things unfold in days to come. Will express my opinion at the right time.”-By Ashwin Aghor