AAP opposes RTO-shed plan at Aarey, threatens to agitate

Aarey is a hotspot teeming with biodiversity and Schedule 2 species, as defined in the Wildlife Act 1972, said AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party, Mumbai, on Monday, expressed its vehement opposition to the construction of a Regional Transport Office (RTO) shed in the Aarey forest, for which a tender notice has been issued by the Public Works Department.

According to the press release issued to the media, "Aarey forest is the shared natural heritage of 1.5 crore Mumbaikars. Not only is Aarey the largest catchment area for groundwater percolation in Mumbai, but is also the source of two of Mumbai's rivers - namely, the Oshiwara and the Mithi. It is also a hotspot teeming with biodiversity and Schedule 2 species as defined in the Wildlife Act 1972. It may be recalled that the Aarey movement was a city-wide movement having support from across the spectrum. The Aam Aadmi Party has been at the forefront of the movement to save the forest."

The state office of executive engineer, PWD, special projects division, has invited tenders through notice number 22, for 2021-22, for an RTO shed to be constructed in Aarey.

As mentioned, Aarey is a designated forest, an environmentally sensitive zone, and a green buffer zone. The above-mentioned construction activity is simply impermissible, given the sensitive ecology of the area.

"Mumbai has ample land which can be used for whatever purposes the government deems fit. We cannot allow the government to encroach on the forest land for any purposes whatsoever. We urge the Chief Minister and the Maharashtra government to withdraw the tender to construct the RTO shed at the earliest, failing which, we will be compelled to start an on-ground agitation," said Preeti Sharma Menon, National Executive Member and Mumbai Prabhari.

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No. of rivers - Mithi and Oshiwara - that begin at Aarey