Mumbai: 143 birds spotted in 125 minutes around Metro car shed site

Aarey Colony

A week after authorities claimed that there was no wildlife near the Metro car depot site in Aarey milk colony, a report by members of NGO RAWW has stated that Jayraj Nayak and his team found over 143 birds (comprising over 22 species) within a 2.84-km radius in 125 minutes of their survey. or 143.

The RAWW team visited the area around the Metro III car depot site in Aarey on Sunday to conduct an independent survey. "Nayak, who is a birding enthusiast, visited Aarey with his colleague for a routine birding session at 7 am on Sunday. With a simple birding technique, they managed to spot the 143 many birds," explained Pawan Sharma, RAWW head.

Also Read: Mumbai: 12th Century artifact found at Metro car shed site hushed up?

The NGO wishes to conduct a systematic Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) to better understand the fauna in Aarey. "If an EIA study is carried out with respect to wildlife at different times of the day, imagine the tremendous number of animals, birds, reptiles and insects that will be spotted. It is time to unite and initiate a citizen EIA report and send it to the authorities and to the public at large," added Sharma.

It is also very important to get all these facts on record so that they cannot be challenged later, members of the NGO said. RAWW is in the process of initiating such an exercise and is urging other nature-lovers to join them.

Sep 30
Day of next HC hearing on Aarey

2,646
No. of trees to be cut for the Metro car shed

13k ha
Area of Aarey Milk Colony

27
No. of Adivasi villages inside colony

No tree cutting in Aarey till Sep 30: HC

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday verbally directed the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) and state government not to cut any trees in the Aarey forest area for the construction of a metro car shed, to which they agreed. This came after the Tree Authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) gave a nod to MMRCL to cut down over 2,600 trees from Aarey colony to build a car shed for the Metro. The colony, spread over 13,000 hectares, is home to over 27 Adivasi villages and inhabits various animal species.

Also Read: Mumbai: BMC has given permission of cutting trees in Aarey to MMRCL

A bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Bharati Dongre passed was hearing a joint petition filed environmental activist Zoru Bathena, a resident of the Aarey region and other activists. The court also said that they are planning to personally visit the area to see what the issue is and slated the matter for September 30 for hearing.

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