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Development, environment protectionmust go hand in hand, says Javadekar on Aarey controversy
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday backed the Mumbai authorities move to cut trees in Aarey Colony for the construction of the metro car shed.
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday backed the Mumbai authorities move to cut trees in Aarey Colony for the construction of the metro car shed.
The union minister, who was in Lucknow, said the development and environment protection needed to go together.
He compared the Aarey controversy with one held during the Delhi metro construction.
Here as part of the party’s plan to negate perception of country being badly hit by the global economic downturn, Javadekar said, “I remember about 20 to 25 trees were to be felled when the first metro rail station was to come up and then too there was this issue. However, for each tree that was cut, five more were planted. Today all of them have grown into big trees. There are 271 stations, the forest cover has increased and more than 30 lakh people are using it for public transport,” Javadekar said.
“‘Our motto is: ‘vikas bhi aur paryavaran suraksha bhi’ [development and environment protection]. Anyone can see how Delhi Metro is among the best,” Javadekar said amid protests over felling of trees by some NGOs and opposition leaders.
On being reminded of the party’s ally Shiv Sena too opposing the decision to cut trees in Aarey colony in Mumbai’s Goregaon, the minister who hails from Maharashtra, said, “Now even they are on the same page.”
Javadekar also said that the economic downturn in the country was temporary. He also cited the latest rate reduction by the Reserve Bank of India saying the Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the benefits of repo-linked rate to be passed on immediately to the people.
He also said the slashing in corporate tax would help India become a favourable investment destination overtaking China.
“Those who previously looked to China for investment would now come to India and this would provide the country with great benefits,” he said.
