Metro-III Car Shed, Elevated Road Plan Now On Hold
The state government's plan to build the Metro-III car shed in lush green Aarey has been stayed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which is redrawing the course of the proposed GoregaonMulund Link Road through Aarey , will also have to wait.
The tribunal has directed the BMC not to issue any further no-objection certificates for construction within the entire area of the Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) within Aarey colony and “if any such illegal activities are noticed then immediate action shall be taken including demolition without any delay“, reads the order uploaded on its website on Tuesday .
The interim order has been is sued on a plea filed by NGO Vanashakti and members of the Save Aarey Movement. The status quo is to be maintained till further orders, said the NGT.
The tribunal has directed the setting up of a committee comprising a deputy commissioner of BMC, deputy conservator of forests and dairy development commissioner. The committee will carry out within a week a survey of existing constructions and the approximate area covered by the ESA.
The NGOs in their plea have pointed out that the recommendation to designate Aarey as an ESA was submitted to the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in February 2013. However, so far, no decision has been taken.
The petitioners pointed out that various government authorities are going ahead with the plan to reduce the forests of Aarey to a mere 14% of its size after making space for a the metro car shed, high speed elevated road corridors, big construction pro jects, an international zoo, educational institutions, five-star hotels and convention centres, among others.
Assistant conservator of forests Sanjay Laske, in his affidavit before the tribunal, said the entire Aarey colony area is shown as an ESA and the chief conservator of forests has not granted any permission for tree felling or construction activity within the area.
“He has said in a statement that no such activity will be allowed henceforth, until the MoEF takes a particular decision in the matter, except and save the existing constructions which have come up due to apartmentsillegal buildings etc. He further submits that both these reports are already made available to the BMC,'' reads the order.
The NGT has directed the committee to give notices to the project proponents and also to issue directions to them to file application for intervention in the matter. The next hearing is posted for September 10.
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