The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in response to suggestions and objections raised by citizens on cutting of trees for the Coastal Road, has said that tree felling is inevitable.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, the BMC has also defended the Coastal Road Project on grounds that it will reduce flooding, pollution and increase green cover. BMC further said that though trees are affected "compensatory afforestation with the ratio of 1:3 is proposed".
There is no comment on the same from Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray yet.
Ironically, in 2019 Shiv Sena had created ruckus over the felling of trees in Aarey. The ruling party in Maharashtra, who had scrapped the metro project in Aarey citing ‘concerns’ over felling of thousands of trees, seems to have taken a U-turn by giving a nod to the Coastal Road project.
Many netizens took to Twitter to slam the Shiv Sena and BMC, with many calling them 'hypocrites'. One user said, "Epitome of hypocrisy - thy name is Shiv Sena. Since 1966." Another user said, "Hypocrite, abhi ye sarkar mein hai toh kisi ki bhi sunenge."
Here’s what netizens had to say:
The Shiv Sena had opposed cutting of trees for the Metro Line 3 car shed in Mumbai's Aarey Colony citing environmental concerns. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in one of his first major decisions after taking over as head of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, had issued a stay on the work.
Aaditya Thackeray, in October 2019, had called the Aarey tree felling shameful and disgusting. He had then suggested that officials responsible for cutting down the trees should be sent to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to destroy terror camps.
