Shiv Sena's commitment to green Mumbai only on paper?

Aarey Milk Colony is among the last remaining areas in the city rich in biodiversity. Representation pic

Hypocritically speaking, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray has maintained that his outfit will do everything to save Mumbai's ecology, and yet, his own party in the BMC has been dragging its feet on the formation of the biodiversity management committee. A proposal of nominating six corporators for it has been gathering dust for the last six months, raising questions over Sena's seriousness in taking care of the environment.

Dilly-dally
Civic officials said the committee is supposed to have 23 members, including the nominated corporators. In August 2017, the proposal was sent to the civic House, where Sena corporator and Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar was supposed to choose the six. However, the House is yet to finalise the names.

According to BMC officials, the purpose of the committee is to conduct an extensive study of biodiversity in city's flora and fauna (birds, animals and plants) and prepare a biodiversity register. After compiling the data, it is supposed to meet once a month and prepare methods of preserving the flora and fauna.

Greenspeak
Citizen activists and environmentalists feel that the committee is crucial to help Mumbai to save its biodiversities on the verge of extinction. "The delay has contributed to the damage. By the time the committee is formed and starts its work, chances of survival of the flora and fauna will be slim," said Nikhil Desai, a citizen activist from Matunga. Tree activist Zoru Bhathena said, "No corporator is genuinely interested in doing anything about the environment. It's all empty promises with no concern shown to do something on the ground."

The other side
Defending the delay, Sena group leader Yashvant Jadhav said, "It's taking time because there are several categories - Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, etc - to consider before finalising the names. By the next general body meeting, we will announce the names and the committee will be formed." Both Mahadeshwar and superintendent of garden department Jeetendra Pardeshi were unavailable for comment despite several attempts.

Court call
The 23-member biodiversity committee will be formed under BMC's garden department and include public representatives, experts and environmentalists as members. The move came after the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court directed the state government to take steps to constitute biodiversity management committees in all local bodies, following a public interest litigation filed on the issue.

23
Number of members the committee will have

06
Number of corporators on the committee

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