07 February,2022 04:44 PM IST | Mumbai | PTI
This picture has been used for representational purpose
The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday said it vehemently opposes the construction of a Regional Transport Office (RTO) shed in the Aarey forest in Mumbai, for which a tender notice has been issued by the Maharashtra Public Works Department.
Preeti Sharma Menon, national executive member and Mumbai in charge of AAP, urged Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to withdraw the RTO shed tender, failing which her party would start an agitation.
Aarey forest, which is the shared natural heritage of 1.5 crore Mumbaikars, is also the largest catchment area for ground water percolation in the metropolis, besides being a hotspot teeming with biodiversity and Schedule 2 species as defined in the Wildlife Act.
"The Office of Executive Engineer, P.W.D. Special Projects division, Public Works Department, Government of Maharashtra has invited tenders through Notice No. 22 for 2021-22, for an RTO shed to be constructed in Aarey.
ALSO READ
Maharashtra elections 2024: What a win, BJP!
Gopal Rai on late-night inspection, monitors implementation of GRAP-4 measures
Denying tickets to MLAs reveals AAP’s internal doubts, says BJP chief
Adani group tried to enter Delhi's power sector but Kejriwal stopped them: AAP
Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: AAP releases first list of 11 candidates
"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," the party said in a statement.
It said Mumbai has ample land and the encroachment of forest land will not be allowed.
Aarey, one of the major green lungs of the city, was earlier at the centre of protests by environmentalists and activists as well as common citizens opposing the construction of a metro rail carshed there.
The carshed project was scrapped after the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by the Shiv Sena assumed power in the state.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.