Mumbai: JCBs flatten Aarey plot once home to transplanted trees

The plot on which trees had been transplanted around seven years ago

In a development that sheds light on the dubiousness of tree transplantation, a portion of a transplantation site at Aarey Milk Colony has been cleared and levelled. In 2016-2017, some trees were transplanted on this plot. Recently, when mid-day visited the spot, it was found that a major portion of the plot had been levelled to create space for drying cattle dung.

A nature lover who has been a regular visitor to Aarey Milk Colony for morning and evening walks informed this reporter about the development recently.

"During my regular visits to the area, about a week ago, I was taken aback by the sight of a JCB flattening the land where transplanted trees were once placed.

Although the transplanted trees on a majority of this plot died within a year, the decision to level the portion of the land raises suspicions about the legitimacy of the entire transplantation process. It's essential for city-based environmentalists advocating for tree conservation in Aarey to conduct an audit and on-site inspections of all transplanted tree locations to ascertain whether the trees still stand or if the authorities have also flattened the land in those areas," said the nature lover.

mid-day visited the site located adjacent to the Bombay Veterinary College campus in Aarey Milk Colony on Monday. On one portion of the land, around 12 to 14 transplanted trees were still standing. On a larger section of the same plot, the transplanted trees were not in place and the land had been flattened. According to locals, the land was levelled by a contractor appointed by the Aarey CEO's office, supposedly for collecting cattle dung.

"The plot has been levelled by a contractor. Cattle dung would be dumped here and left to dry," said a local requesting anonymity.

The trees transplanted on the other side of the plot adjacent to a nullah have grown well and are alive.

On April 19, 2017, mid-day published a report, ‘MMRDA, you killed them young'. The report detailed how more than 25 trees transplanted to the plot in Aarey to make way for Metro 2A were almost dead.

Another nature lover from Unit No. 15 in Aarey also alleged that some transplanted trees next to their area have gone missing and the area has been cleared.

An official from the Aarey CEO office told mid-day, "We will look into the matter, only after which can we comment on it."

14
Approx. trees still standing on the plot