The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has claimed that it's properly transplanting trees affected due to the construction of Dahisar-Andheri East Metro (VII), but environment activists aren't buying it
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been claiming that it's been doing proper transplantation of trees affected due to the construction of Dahisar-Andheri East Metro (VII), but environment activists aren't buying it. The latter have alleged that while doing transplantation on a plot in Aarey Colony close to Marol Naka, the MMRDA-appointed contractor damaged the plants and trees that had been there since two years. Activists have alleged the contractor has been transplanting dead trees on the plot.
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Slipshod job
Environment activist Biju Augustine, who is associated with the Aarey Conservation Group, which has been fighting to save the green lung and protesting against the proposed Metro car depot in the colony, has alleged that the transplantation and plantation done by the MMRDA on a plot in the colony has been done in an improper and haphazard manner.
"In the name of transplantation, the contractor appointed by the MMRDA, to transplant the trees removed from the Metro VII alignment, is not doing a proper job, as 10 to 15 trees transplanted on the plot have either been dead or are on the verge of dying. Also, some of the transplanted trees have been placed so close to each other that as they grow, the smaller ones will eventually die," he said.
"The contractor has also removed the plants that were already there on the plot, planted two years ago during a programme."
The deadly transplant
Last evening, when mid-day visited the plot in question, we found 10 to 12 transplanted trees drying up and a few already appearing to be dead.
mid-day had reported on April 20 'MMRDA, you killed them young', mentioning how the trees removed from the Dahisar-DN Nagar Metro line and transplanted in Aarey Milk Colony close to Bombay Veterinary College near the Western Express Highway were almost dead because the contractor had not bothered to water them.
MMRDA joint project director Dilip Kawatkar said, "MMRDA does transplantation and plantation where there is space available."
When told about the activists' allegations, he added, "We will look into them and necessary measures will be taken."
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