Mumbai Metro vs Aarey: MMRC dumping debris around Aarey trees?

Debris from the levelling work for the Metro car depot is being dumped around the trees in Aarey

This tussle is never-ending: green activists have said Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) does not have permission to start any work in Aarey Milk Colony for a car depot, and yet, MMRC maintains it has all the necessary permissions.

This time, MMRC has said it is only carrying out land levelling work for the car depot without touching any trees. Pictures a local shared with mid-day, however, show otherwise - debris removed while levelling is being dumped at the base of trees with mounds of two to three feet of it allegedly surrounding the trunks, which, say green activists, might eventually end up killing the trees or have an impact on their growth.

An environment lover who had gone near the car depot site clicked pictures of the ongoing work. Speaking to mid-day, the person alleged, "Due to the tin sheets installed around the car depot boundary, it's difficult to see what's happening inside. So, I climbed on a rock outside the boundary and saw levelling was in progress. There are no trees where the work is being done, but what shocked me was that the workers were simply dumping the debris at the base of huge trees. I feel that this poses a threat to the existing tree cover."

"MMRC has been illegally carrying out work at the site, despite the NGT asking it to maintain a status quo. MMRC also doesn't have permission from the Tree Authority. It may claim it's not touching any tree, but this dumping of debris is as good as killing the trees. It should remove the debris at the earliest..." said Stalin D from NGO Vanashakti. mid-day's questionnaire sent to MMRC over the allegation went unanswered.