29 arrested in connection with Aarey Colony protest
Bollywood celebrities express anger over tree cutting in Aarey
Mumbai, Oct 5: Twenty-nine people, including six women, were arrested on Saturday in connection with the protest against the cutting of trees in Aarey Colony, a police official said.
Those arrested are among the 60 people earlier detained by police.
"We have arrested 29 protesters. Six of them are women. Some of them had manhandled and beaten the police personnel deployed in Aarey Colony and obstructed them from discharging their duty," the police official said.
The MMRCL had started hacking trees from Friday to make way for a car shed, hours after the Bombay High Court dismissed four petitions filed by NGOs and activists challenging the decision to allow felling of trees in the prime green lung of the city.
However, hundreds of environmental activists gathered in Aarey Colony and protested. They tried to stop the authorities from chopping down the trees.
Several Bollywood actors, including Farhan Akhtar, Dia Mirza and Swara Bhasker, on Saturday condemned the felling of trees in Aarey Colony, being carried out to make way for a Metro carshed.
Hours after the Bombay High Court on Friday dismissed four petitions by NGOs against the felling of over 2,600 trees, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) swung into action and started hacking trees for the project.
"Cutting trees at night is a pathetic attempt at trying to get away with something even those doing it know is wrong. #Aarey #GreenIsGold #Mumbai," Akhtar said in a tweet.
In a series of tweets, Mirza said that this "massacre" needs to be stopped.
"400 trees have been cut in the dead of the night. As citizens sang and joined hands in unity pleading to STOP this massacre. Can't you see they are UNITED by love!?! Love for nature. Love for our children and our future. #Aarey #ClimateAction #ActNow #ChangeIsComing," she said.
In another tweet, the actor said that there is supposed to be a 15-day waiting period after the permission is granted and notice has been uploaded on the official website.
"But there is no waiting here. Our trees are being cut as citizens desperately plead to STOP this! @moefcc @PrakashJavdekar #Aarey."
Sharing a video of the felling of trees on Twitter, actor Richa Chadda wrote, "If you're a parent and not seriously angered about this shady tree felling in the night, lemme know how you feel about looking your kids in their eyes."
In another tweet, Chadda expressed her anger saying, "All this for a carshed - which is basically like a parking lot for the Metro. Stealing oxygen from the lungs of citizens.
"And it's begun! #AareyForest #AareyColony being destroyed," Swara said.
Actor Urmila Matondkar, who had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election as a Congress candidate from Mumbai North before quitting the party last month, said what was happening at Aarey was "truly incomprehensible".
"1. Mumbai high court saying 'Aarey is not a forest.
- So much urgency and diligence in carrying out a court order. 3. Those responsible can't get away with a mere tweet of fake anguish #Aarey #Mumbai #Green," she said.
Actor Pooja Bhatt said that in a "fair, ethical, just and humane world it should be the other way around".
"The state should be protecting the trees from the men with machetes who arrive cloaked in darkness. Alas, this is the world we live in. One without a moral compass & conscience. God help us all!" she tweeted.
In a tweet, filmmaker Onir said, "In the cover of darkness the axe falls on our trees. RIP #AareyForest. We failed you. My heart breaks to know that by morning many proud erect trees will have fallen to human greed."
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Fadnavis rides motorcycle to Vidhan Bhavan, says PM Modi asked only for 'small sacrifices'
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday rode a motorcycle to the Vidhan Bhavan here and later defended the Centre's austerity measures, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi has only "asked people to make small sacrifices".
He also criticised the Opposition for creating "unnecessary controversy" over the matter, adding that questioning the PM's foreign visits - aimed at strategic alliances and economic benefits - was "sheer foolishness".
Fadnavis arrived at the Vidhan Bhavan in South Mumbai on a motorbike from his residence 'Varsha', with BJP leader and minister Ashish Shelar accompanying him, to attend the swearing-in of new members of the legislative council.
The move comes as part of the measures after PM Modi's appeal to conserve fuel and foreign exchange in view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted global energy supplies. India relies heavily on West Asia for crude oil and gas imports.
On Wednesday, CM Fadnavis announced a series of austerity measures, including halving the number of vehicles in the convoys of his cabinet colleagues, and cancelling foreign tours of ministers and officials.
Addressing reporters here on Thursday, Fadnavis said the state government had curtailed convoys, cancelled avoidable foreign tours and decided against holding large government events for the next six months.
Targeting the Opposition, the CM said similar austerity measures had been adopted by previous governments, including during the tenures of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao, as well as by former finance minister P Chidambaram in 2012.
"The Opposition needs to show some maturity. Countries across the world have taken even tougher decisions. The prime minister has only asked people to make small sacrifices while himself taking very tough decisions. Creating unnecessary controversy over this is not appropriate," he said.
Fadnavis said he travelled by motorcycle to send a message on fuel conservation, adding that symbolic actions by political leaders help spread awareness among people.
"When leaders act symbolically in this manner, the message reaches the people. That is why I came here on a motorcycle," he stressed.
The chief minister said all unnecessary foreign visits by officials and ministers had been stopped, and efforts were underway to reduce fuel consumption and save foreign exchange.
"We have reduced our convoys. Wherever petrol and diesel can be saved, wherever foreign exchange can be conserved, we are making every possible effort," he said.
Fadnavis said a major government event scheduled in Satara on Friday would, however, go ahead as it was planned in advance and expenditure had already been incurred.
He said around 25 lakh families would receive benefits valued at Rs 10,000 crore under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana during the programme.
"After this event, however, no large government programmes will be organised over the next six months," he added.
The CM also dismissed criticism on social media over PM Modi's foreign visits, saying overseas trips aimed at strategic alliances and economic gains for the country should not be equated with avoidable travel.
"The appeal is only against unnecessary foreign travel. It does not mean businessmen should cancel important overseas deals. Criticising the prime minister's foreign visits is sheer foolishness," he said.
