Aarey re - #SaveAarey




If you live in Mumbai, I am sure you are well aware of the Aarey plight. A citizen-led protest that is taking over the state government for the benefit of the city’s ecology and people, is all over the news these days.

It is common knowledge that the easiest way to keep the pollution low is to plant more trees. Mumbai, along with several Indian cities, has been topping the charts of “Most polluted cities” across the globe. Mumbai is also one of the few cities which has a forest and wildlife living right in the heart of the city. In such a scenario, it should be obvious that protecting a forest that is providing us with fresh air should be our top priority – unfortunately, it isn’t.

So let me start with a few crucial reasons why it is important to save the Aarey Forest,
  • It is a part of the only surviving green lung of the city. So if you want purified air for yourself and your family, this issue should be important to you.
  • To save wildlife and protect the ecology at place there.
  • The car shed site is in the flood-plain area of the Mithi River. Building the car shed there means additional flooding in the city.

What the MMRC is saying is,

It is just a small part of the forest, that too in the peripheral region.
This can be true about the car shed, but this is just the first part. Several projects are coming up in the Aarey Forest, basically stripping us away from our green cover, one by one. A metro inside a forested area means the potential to extend it into a station and turn the area into a residential hotspot. While we are just focusing on the car shed, there are a few other projects also being planned in the area, like,
  • A Zoo (Yes, they are cutting a forest to build a zoo)
  • A Metro Bhavan (A 30 storey commercial space)
  • An SRA Project (slum dwellers from across the city would be moved here to open up prime property for builders)

It is also important to note that for the upkeep of the Car Shed, the groundwater would be utilised. Remember, this is the groundwater of a forest, which means it is pristine and potable. Let’s not forget that before monsoon this year, the groundwater across the country had dipped and we were nearing or were already at the emergence of a drought-like situation. In such a case, we would be using drinkable water to wash metros. According to an activist, the estimate is that close to 50,000 litres of water would be used daily.

Other options are not available
The Metro 6 car shed is being planned at Kanjurmarg, which was deemed unfit for Metro 3. It is unclear how an area which can was deemed unfit for one phase is fit for another phase of the same project.

Will help reduce pollution
Delhi and Kolkata have an amazing network of Metro connecting the entire city. The cities still top the list of most polluted cities in India. In fact, at times Delhi is even worse than Mumbai.

This is selective outrage, you did not protest when other development happened in the area
Umm, so, just because we did not protest earlier means we shouldn’t protest even now? So we shouldn’t correct our mistakes?


Picture: Amit Bar
I am taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s #MyFriendAlexa.




(Obviously, you must be wondering what qualifies me to write this blogpost. I would like to clarify that this is based on several interactions with the activists, government officials, Tribals who live in Aarey and after attending a couple of court proceedings and actually visiting the Aarey Colony.)


Comments

  1. You people are doing great job. Full support from Punjab.

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  2. You wrote about a topic close to my heart, im a member of AAREY SUPPORT AS WELL! And this disgusts me that a fact that even a kid knows is being ignored and Mumbai in the name of progress us being led to the worsening of existence,lets keep voicing!

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  3. Kudos to the people of Mumbai for raising their collective voices against such a disastrous step. We really need to tgink about the kind of a world are we leaving for our future generation.

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  4. Indeed we need to discover viable alternatives for a healthy environment. In a metro like Mumbai alternatives are limited.

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  5. It is unbelievable that even after seeing the Amazon burn our politicians still don't realize that global warming is a real thing. Very insightful post.

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  6. A similar movement is on to save Aravallis in Delhi...city planning should never adversely affect the ecology. And, am strongly against zoos, leave alone cutting down forests to make one, sounds ridiculous! Was great to read your post!

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  7. Thanks for sharing this post at a this time. I am not sure if all the SM outrage is going to help the issue, but at least we can say we tried!

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  8. Well nicely put
    We have to have save forests

    Otherwise dooms day is not afar


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  9. This is a good initiative and an awareness post
    #tmmreads #myfriendalexa

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  10. Yes this came to us via news good to read from someone there

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  11. We need more such posts. Thanks for sharing it. It is disturbing to see that in this day and age, people have to fight tooth and nail to save a forest.

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  12. Saving Aarey is not a choice. It is essential for sustainable development. Hope these greedy people understand.

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  13. I really hope people win against government here. The forest must be saved.

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  14. Deforestation causes so much of ecological problems.
    This is something to worry.

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  15. Just hope for the best, no trees are cut and everything works out well.

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  16. Hi, though i am not from Mumbai but i do understand the pain of losing out the green cover for industralisation. The more aware the citizens are about the repercussions, the more pressure could be built on the authorities to avoid inflicting the damage on the entire society.

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  17. It has become a habit of the high and mighty politicians to be hand in glove with other business men and destroy the ecological balance. I agree that the common people should object resolutely.

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  18. Aarey has so much memories attached, thats a mini jungle inside in posh arena #millennialscribbler #myfriendalexa

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  19. I am following the battles Mumbaikara are fighting against the administration for saving the only green patch left in this concrete jungle. Hope some good sense prevails

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  20. I see similar things happening in Delhi and it is awful. We are digging our own graves by doing this. I really hope the citizens outrage stops the authorities from taking this measure.
    Noor Anand Chawla

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  21. I have been following these protests and I really hope that something good comes out of these protests. They're affecting the whole biodiversity here. #myepicareads #MyFriendAlexa

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  22. I really feel sad that MMRDC has come to such a stand and the beautiful Aarey colony is getting destroyed

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  23. I hate people who talk about cutting trees and encouraging development. Everyone should start accepting the fact that trees are a boon to mankind and should be conserved properly :)
    #MyFriendAlexa #vigorousreads

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  24. I completely agree with you.forest, greenery and trees are basic and vital things to save our enviornment and keep air fresh..I had not heard about this project before, thanks for sharing it. #Surbhireads #Myfriendalexa

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  25. As you are a local you probably understand the pain better

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  26. Loved reading your thoughts on saving the Aarey forest.

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  27. Feels good to see that there are still indivuo who actually care for the ecosystem

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  28. mhanje car shed nantar ajun new projects pan yenar aahet tithe. but government cha asa mhanana aahe ki jar he kela nahi tar metro che tickets ajun ch mahag hotil. what is the solution to this problem.

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  29. This is really really bad... Government doesn't even care about the level of damage we are facing because of the climate change and deforestation...

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  30. More than a protest it is saving out important ....and so I am glad that this is happening that we are trying to safe our environment for better tomorrow!!

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  31. Its so sad that short sighted plans are made.If people try hard enough other ways can bw found.I am sure

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  32. That's such a noble initiative that you are voicing for. Seriously it is high time we need to conserve our trees.

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  33. its always beautiful to be close to nature well written post even i love forest and exploring in nature.

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  34. I live in Mumbai and this is just the worse thing happening. I am not liking the metro project at all overall mumbai. It's creating more of issues than solving anything.

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  35. I was not even aware of this. Thanks for sharing :-)

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  36. Glad you wrote this post. There are so many stories about Aarey and a fact-based post is always welcome in the clutter of fake news. Brilliant post! Keep writing such informative posts. #MyFriendAlexa #DiaryOfAnInsaneWriter

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  37. sounds like a serious problem. We nee to take lessons from other flood ravaged states and find a solution...

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  38. Excellent post dear, we need more such awareness

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  39. Manisha - I have been reading about this and I am in support for saving Aarey we hardly have any green covers left.

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  40. This is a great initiative. We must create more awareness about it.

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  41. Yes, I have heard about Aarey plight. It is good that people of our country are fighting hard to save the forest. Hopefully they will win.

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  42. I live in Mumbai and have been following this event closely. Development is necessary but not at the cost of natural habitat.

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  43. Saving environment and its feature is the moral duty of citizen, you are doing good job being one of them.

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