State declares 600 acres of Aarey as reserved forest, raises question mark over Metro 3 carshed

Major victory for the citizens’ initiative but fight against Metro car shed within Aarey continues

@hepzia

Mumbai: In a major development, the Maharashtra government decided to declare 600 acres within the 3162 acres of Aarey as a reserved forest. This is a huge development because the earlier Devendra Fadnavis-led Bharatiya Janata Party government had contended that Aarey was not a forest, while permitting a car shed for Metro within this pristine forest in the city. 

This marks a victory for the citizens’ initiative of Aarey Conservation Group (ACG) that fought cases, held demonstrations and even courted arrest to save this forest from rapid state-supported urban development.  

On September 2, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray stated that 600 acres of Aarey on the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) would be declared as a reserved forest to protect the flora and fauna there. Thackeray stated that this would be a first instance of a forest blossoming within a city.

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There are 8 leopards, 76 species of birds, 76 species of mammals, 80 species of butterflies, 38 species of reptiles and 19 species of spiders as per an earlier survey of Aarey. The 2017 tree census had found 4, 84,761 lakh trees in Aarey alone, roughly 13.73% of the total 29, 75283 trees found in Mumbai then. 

The state has invoked the provisions of Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 that authorizes it to declare any part as a forest and even appoint a forest settlement officer.  In the meeting CM Uddhav Thackeray also directed that while proceeding with the reserved forest area, the rights of the tribal community as well as other concerned should be kept intact.

However in the same breath, environment minister Aditya Thackeray also informed that the state would expedite the process of rehabilitation of slums within Aarey as part of the Phase-1 of forest development, causing much consternation. Thackeray stated that Phase-2 of the process would involve a survey by the forest department for additional open land or forest in Aarey to protect the flora and fauna of Aarey. He also stated that the rights of the tribal communities within Aarey would be protected. 

However, the battle is far from over. The Development Plan 2034 has reservations for a Zoo, Slum Redevelopment buildings, and Metro carshed within Aarey.

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Petitioner in the Supreme Court against the Metro car shed, Amrita Bhattacharjee of the ACG told thenews21.com: “While we welcome this development, the protection of the entire 1280 hectares or over 3000 acres of Aarey is crucial as it is the catchment area for two rivers, Mithi and Oshiwara. The Covid pandemic has highlighted the importance of forests and losing any further greenery in our city is harmful for the city.” She also stated that her fight in SC against the car shed would continue. She also hoped that the ongoing construction work for a ramp for the Metro car shed should now stop. 

With regard to the reserved forest area, Section 4 will be enacted and accordingly, suggestions and objections will be invited from the citizens within a period of 45 days.

All types of constructions, roads, huts and tribal areas as well as other government facilities will be excluded from the first phase.

Rehabilitation of slums will also be started immediately. The proposal for the first phase of this entire process will be submitted soon by the Forest Department. This decision will protect Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the forest resources in Aarey.

Earlier in August 2019, The Tree Authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday gave its nod to cut over 2,700 trees for a Metro car shed in the leafy Aarey Colony area in Mumbai. Tree authority member and NCP corporator Kaptan Malik said he supported the decision to facilitate infrastructure development and on the basis of majority the Tree Authority gave the decision. 

Earlier, in June 2019, the state forest department and the civic body signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Wednesday for the handing over of around 100 acres of land at Aarey Colony in Goregaon to extend the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan (Byculla zoo).

The MoU was signed in the presence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and state forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar at the corporation’s headquarters in Fort. The civic body will be given the land on a 99-year lease period at a rent of Rs 1 each year.