Around 24,000 trees planted across Mumbai, including in areas like Aarey, SGNP: MMRCL
These 24,000 geo-tagged trees comprise of indigenous species like Behada, Kadamb and Karanj which will achieve a girth of 6 to 12 inches and a height of 12 to 15 feet, MMRCL said
The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRCL) has claimed to have planted 24,000 trees across the city in lieu of the “inevitable destruction” of trees in Aarey Colony for the metro car shed.
The reference was made in a video posted by @MumbaiMetro3, the official handle of MMRCL which is executing the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ line.
“Promises kept Commitments delivered. #MMRC has planted arnd 24,000 trees across Mumbai including #AareyMilkColony and degraded areas of #SGNP. Sturdy native species like Behada, Kadamb, Karanj etc 6-12 inch girth & 12-15 ft height planted. 2 years efforts and results show up,” read the tweet.
Promises kept Commitments delivered. #MMRC has planted arnd 24,000 trees across Mumbai including #AareyMilkColony and degraded areas of #SGNP. Sturdy native species like Behada,Kadamb, Karanj etc 6 – 12 inch girth & 12-15 ft height planted. 2 years efforts and results show up. pic.twitter.com/bC4TOB5Qnp
— MumbaiMetro3 (@MumbaiMetro3) October 6, 2019
The video was retweeted by MMRCL MD Ashwini Bhide.
“Sometimes to construct something new destruction becomes inevitable but it also paves the way for new life and new creation,” Bhide added.
According to MMRCL, some of the 24,000 trees planted by them are in degraded areas of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Mumbai to revive its greenery.
“On top of it. Some trees have also been planted inside the Aarey Milk Colony where BMC recently axed around 2,700 trees to build a Metro-3 car shed,” it said.
MMRCL said these 24,000 geo-tagged trees comprised indigenous species like Behada, Kadamb and Karanj which will achieve a girth of 6 to 12 inches and a height of 12 to 15 feet.
“We at #MMRC plant trees & build @MumbaiMetro3 also. We do need 2 cut trees at times 2 build better #infrastructure 2 suit city’s present & future needs. But we can mitigate it by planting more trees. #MMRC has planted 24000 trees, geotagged them & well maintained @CMOMaharashtra,” the IAS officer tweeted.
Chopping of trees started on Friday night, hours after the Bombay High Court dismissed petitions challenging Tree Authority’s decision to allow cutting of trees in Aarey.
The action, however, met with opposition from a section of citizens and activists, who protested the felling of trees. The protests led to the arrest of over two dozen activists, who were granted bail a day later.
Earlier today, a special bench of the Supreme Court, while hearing the plea filed by a law student, asked the Maharashtra government to refrain from cutting any trees till the next hearing on October 21 and sought a report on the status of saplings planted in the area.
