Human existence isn’t possible if we keep chopping off trees and burn forests. If you cannot give a thought about the environment, why are you even breathing? As harsh as it sounds, brutality happened with Aarey forests a few weeks back. Just after Amazon forests burnt in Brazil and us as a whole couldn’t do anything; similarly Aarey forests in Mumbai have been cut down by our incumbent government. It has a major cause and it is the development of the metro in that particular area. The residents of Aarey colony and others have started protests but sadly 98 percent of trees have been cut down. There are hashtags viral such as #saveaarey #savemumbai on Twitter and Instagram. Along with people signing a petition to stop deforestation. The environmentalists and celebrities also took social media to create alert and make Mumbai’s CM Devendra Fadnavis and environment minister Prakash Javdekar negotiate an action. This is a burning battle between the development and the ecosystem.
“Should the government let a microscopic minority with a myopic view hinder the progress of a development project which will provide a greener alternative to traffic congestion and curb greenhouse emissions?” Shaina NC, a leader of the ruling BJP asked during a debate on the Aarey colony during Rajdeep Sardesai’s show on India Today TV.
Diffusing the government’s claims, environment activist and founder of Watchdog Foundation, Godfrey Pimenta, said that an RTI filed by him has revealed that out of the 20,000 claimed saplings, the government has not even planted 5,000 in Mumbai. “If this government had any concern for the state then it is sure did not reflect in Mumbai,” he said.
The dispute is rising between Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) and people who care about the environment. Our environment minister has bluntly said that same happened with Delhi and slowly things will calm down.
This isn’t the first or second case where the government showed an insensitive demeanor towards nature. Even as the voices are rising with every passing day, the government seems to have turned a deaf ear towards them. We will still look on the bright side as protests have changed history, and unity among people has already grabbed the attention of the Supreme Court.
