A morning walker raises an alarm, claims Aarey Milk Colony CEO's office is ignoring the development; CEO claims action will be taken
Once again, the forest in Aarey Milk Colony is in danger. This time, a hillock near the Aarey VIP guest house, has been encroached with three huts. But it seems the job of being alert and ensuring that such protected areas continue to be so, is that of the common man, and not of the authorities. A morning walker has approached mid-day, saying some anti-social elements have been setting fire to the forest in Aarey, and then building huts on the spot after clearing it, while the CEO's office has been ignoring the happenings. When asked, the CEO, however, told mid-day that he has learnt of this and has told an officer to demolish the structures.
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Over the years Aarey has been in the news for unplanned development projects, which pose a threat to the forest patch inside it. Several green activists and nature lovers have demanded that the forest patch inside Aarey Milk Colony be protected as the area is rich in biodiversity, and is one of the last surviving green lungs of Mumbai.
(Top, above) Two of the three huts built inside Aarey Milk Colony
Torch, then build
"There is a systematic modus operandi through which the hutments are constructed. First the people torch the greenery in the forest and once the area is gutted, they clear it and then construct huts. What is also shocking is the fact that the trees on the hillock very close to the VIP guest house were cleared, and in the past few days three hutments were constructed there. What surprises me is that all this is happening right under the nose of the Aarey CEO's office, but it seems they are least bothered about protecting the green cover," said the morning walker, who did not want to be named.
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According to green activists and local residents, illegal hutments and encroachment poses a huge threat to the forest patch in Aarey, and if adequate measures are not taken, a huge chunk of it will be permanently lost.
Some trees were also chopped
A member of Aarey Conservation Group and Director of NGO Vanashakti, Stalin D said, "Illegal hutments are mushrooming in Aarey at the cost of the green cover but sadly the CEO office is least bothered. The Aarey CEO should understand that Aarey Milk Colony is an eco-sensitive zone and also acts as a buffer zone to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. So taking action against illegal encroachments is the duty of this office. If timely action is not taken against the encroachments that are coming up, I will take up the matter with higher authorities." The morning walker, who saw the huts that have come up on a hill close to the VIP guest house, had also sent pictures of the same to this newspaper. In the pictures it can be seen that three huts have been constructed and some trees were chopped. The encroachers have also constructed a boundary surrounding the huts using the wood.
CEO on action
However, speaking to mid-day Aarey Milk Colony's Chief Executive Officer, Nathu Rathod, said that action will be taken against the hutments. He said, "I was informed about the illegal hutments that have been constructed on a hillock close to the VIP guest house, and I have asked our security officer to visit the spot and demolish the structures."
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