Aarey Forest: Supreme Court takes Suo Motu cognisance
Aarey tree felling: The Supreme Court has taken Suo Motu cognisance of the tree cutting at Aarey Colony in Mumbai and has scheduled a hearing on October 7.
The issue of tree cutting at Aarey has gathered steam in Mumbai and Maharashtra right when assembly elections are due. On October 4, within a few hours of clearance from Bombay High Court, authorities moved in to cut trees at Aarey Colony in Mumbai. The trees were being cut to make way for proposed car shed of Mumbai Metro.
As the news spread, environment activists rushed to the spot and tried stopping workers who were cutting trees. The hashtag #AareyForest was a number 1 countrywide twitter trend even at 12:30 am on October 5.
Greenery at Aarey Colony is continuous with that of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, a 104 sq km jungle right in the middle of Mumbai city. The jungle is said to be critical for Mumbai as it absorbs the pollution of the metropolis, provides water and aids in rainfall. The jungle is shrinking by each passing day due to illegal encroachment.
Watch | 'If Shiv Sena comes to power, will take action against people involving in tree felling at Aarey'
