Humble appeal to Baba Sadguru to join us in saving Aarey Forest
10-Jul-2022
641
Jagdish K Kashikar
Freelancer Journalist cum Placement/Legal Consultant, Maharashtra.
WhatsApp - 9768425757
At the very outset we wish to profusely thank you for taking up the cause of Conscious Planet – Save Soil, a global movement envisioned by you seeks to bring about a concerted, conscious response to saving soil of Mother Earth.
We take this liberty of writing to you directly in connection Metro -3 Project in Mumbai, which has telling effect on the fragile Green Lung of Mumbai (Aarey Milk Colony), with a hope that your kind intervention in this matter will go a long way in protecting the environmental cause, which the citizens of Mumbai are fighting. Thirty percent of the Earth's surface is covered in forests. These forests are home to millions of creatures and plant species, as well as a source of clean water and air. However, growing populations and desertification are contributing to unprecedented levels of forest coverage loss in Africa. In Ethiopia, Belete-Gera Forest is facing similar pressures as surrounding inhabitants cut down trees on the edges of 150,000 hectares of forest, to expand agricultural land as well as for construction and firewood. The recent devastating fires at Amazon have destroyed many trees and wild life habitat. Around 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods around the world.
In Mumbai, the Aarey Milk Colony, came in the existence in the year 1949 and is spread over an area of 3160 acres of land, out of which more than 50% of the is allotted for various commercial purposes. The recent decision of Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. ( JICA being equity partner in the project) to construct Metro car shed at Aarey by the cutting of 2238 trees was environmentally suicidal decision. It is the last green, open space in Mumbai. The Aarey Milk Colony is contiguously touching the boundary of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which is a large protected area. The park is home to a number of endangered species of flora and fauna. The forest area of the Park houses over 1000 plant species, 251 species of migratory, land and water birds, 50,000 species of insects and 40 species of mammals. In addition, the Park also provides shelter to 38 species of reptiles, 9 species of amphibians, 150 species of butterflies and a large variety of fish.
The proposed Metro Car Shed is along the catchment area of the Mithi River. Tampering with flood plains like this have recently led to disastrous monsoon flooding of entire Mumbai city during high tides, a disaster which we are sure even yourself does not want.The felling of so many large number of trees which are the habitat of the wildlife as well as the nestling ground of many endangered species of birds.
Respected Sir, sustainable development is the need of hour, we Mumbaikars need the metro but not at the cost of destruction of Green Lung of Mumbai.
WE THEREFORE URGE YOU TO KINDLY INTERVENE IN THE MATTER TO SAVE MUMBAI FROM IMMINENT PERIL
Watchdog Foundation
Nicholas Almeida /Adv. Godfrey Pimenta
Adv. Vivian D'Souza/Rita D'Sa
Advisors
Adv. Tulip Brian Miranda
President
Bombay East Indian Association
Write to Diya Mali
