Aarey tree felling: Aaditya Thackeray issues 'stop work' notice; Oppn attacks govt

Days after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray scrapped the Mumbai metro carshed project at Aarey forest and shifted to Kanjur Marg, felling of trees was reported putting Shiv Sena on the spot.

The Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that the trees were being chopped for the work related to the new zoo that had been planned in the Aarey Milk Colony.

Acting promptly, state Environment, Tourist, and Protocol Minister Aaditya Thackeray issued a “stop work” notice.

“Received some photos of some old work tendered earlier, happening now in Aarey for a proposed concrete wall. I have asked the authorities to issue a “stop work” notice immediately and asked for a report on the same,” Aaditya tweeted.

AAP leader Preeti Sharma Menon tweeted, “This is ridiculous! Heard that there is tree felling going on inside Aarey forest for Aaditya Thackeray's zoo?!!! Wasn't killing baby penguin enough to satisfy his childish plans…Why on earth would we destroy a forest to make a zoo??!!”.

According to AAP’s National Joint Secretary Ruben Mascarenhas, his party strongly objected to the felling of trees and clearance of land at Aarey for the proposed zoo.

“The locals on the ground were quick to respond and raised objections with the government officials present. The pretext of the felling of trees is the proposed zoo basis a work order, which is prima facie an 'expired work order', which has been accessed by AAP. It is plain foolish to destroy a forest to build a zoo. Globally, zoos are an obsolete concept, which is cruel to animals too,” he said.

It may be recalled, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, which is controlled by Shiv Sena, had in 2019 unveiled plans to build an international standard zoo in Aarey.

Mumbai already has one zoo - the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale & Zoo - spread over 50 acres and it is going through a modernisation programme. Because of space constraints, its expansion in terms of area is not possible.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park has a deer park, a lion safari, and a tiger safari.