MUMBAI: NCP MLA Dr Jitndra Awhad on Sunday welcome CM Uddhav Thackeray’s move to stall work on Metro Car Shade at Aarey and added that now the government should also withdraw cases filed against those opposing the felling of trees by the Metro authorities.
Awhad raised the demand in the state legislature while congratulating newly elected Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The state administration had filed cases against 29 people on the night of October 4. They were accused of obstructing public servant from carrying out their duty. The agitators were also lodged in jail for a day. While granting bail, the court put a condition that they will have to report at the police station for three hours every fortnight and they should cooperate with the police in their investigation.
Most of these 29 agitators are students and hence the environmental activists are now demanding that the cases against them should be withdrawn. The greens have also raised concern over the construction of ramp that was to connect the Matro corridor to the Car Shade. “If the work on Car Shade is stalled, what is the purpose of continuing work on the ramp? Is the administration want determined to have the Car Shade at the spot,” asked Amita Bhattacharya of Aarey Conservation group.
Meanwhile, after the CM’s decision to stall work on Car Shade, questions are also being raised on Matro Bhavan, Lion Safari, RTO headquarters and the Slum Rehabilitation projects on the Aarey land. The green have also been opposing these projects for past three years, most of which are pet projects of the ruling Shiv Sena. After the CM’s decision to stall work on Metro Car Shade, voice against these projects too has grown louder.