Photos: Aarey tree felling go ahead sparks protests, activists detained

By HT Correspondent

Updated On Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

Police imposed section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Aarey Colony and surrounding areas on Saturday, banning unlawful assembly, following strong protests by activists against the felling of trees in the green zone for a Metro car shed. While 38 protesters were booked under various sections of the IPC since Friday night, at least 60 others were detained. Ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections that are scheduled on October 21, different parties have lent the incident a political colour by criticising each other.

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Police detain activists protesting against the felling of trees for the metro car shed project at Aarey Colony in Mumbai. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code was imposed in the colony and surrounding areas on Saturday, banning unlawful assembly following demonstrations. The move to fell trees is a major setback for activists who have been drawing attention to the environmental implications of such action. (Mitesh Bhuvad / PTI)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

Police detain activists protesting against the felling of trees for the metro car shed project at Aarey Colony in Mumbai. Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code was imposed in the colony and surrounding areas on Saturday, banning unlawful assembly following demonstrations. The move to fell trees is a major setback for activists who have been drawing attention to the environmental implications of such action. (Mitesh Bhuvad / PTI)

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Aeriel view of the Mumbai Metro-3 car shed site at Aarey. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) started hacking trees from Friday night 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 fell trees in the green lung of the city spread over 3,000 acres. (Pramod Thakur / HT Photo)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

Aeriel view of the Mumbai Metro-3 car shed site at Aarey. The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) started hacking trees from Friday night 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 fell trees in the green lung of the city spread over 3,000 acres. (Pramod Thakur / HT Photo)

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As the felling began, hundreds of environmental activists gathered and protested. They tried to stop the authorities from chopping down the trees. The activists claimed that almost 200 and as many as 400 trees had been cut. The Save Aarey movement has seen various demonstrations and campaigns including a 5-km human chain on September 1, 2019. The movement though has been picking steam since 2014. (PTI)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

As the felling began, hundreds of environmental activists gathered and protested. They tried to stop the authorities from chopping down the trees. The activists claimed that almost 200 and as many as 400 trees had been cut. The Save Aarey movement has seen various demonstrations and campaigns including a 5-km human chain on September 1, 2019. The movement though has been picking steam since 2014. (PTI)

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Activists speak to police personnel at the spot. On Friday night, at least 38 protesters were booked under various sections pertaining to deterring public servants from discharging duty, or unlawful assembly, a spokesperson of the Mumbai police said. Apart from them, 60 others were detained. Activists allege that the MMRCL wants to finish the job before October 10, when the matter comes before the National Green Tribunal. (Satyabrata Tripathy / HT Photo)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

Activists speak to police personnel at the spot. On Friday night, at least 38 protesters were booked under various sections pertaining to deterring public servants from discharging duty, or unlawful assembly, a spokesperson of the Mumbai police said. Apart from them, 60 others were detained. Activists allege that the MMRCL wants to finish the job before October 10, when the matter comes before the National Green Tribunal. (Satyabrata Tripathy / HT Photo)

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An activist cries as he embraces a tree trunk that was cut. On September 14, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that the area does not come under forest land and the metro will help reduce the city’s carbon footprint. Celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar also saw received flak for indirectly backing the decision to fell the trees. (Satyabrata Tripathy / HT Photo)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

An activist cries as he embraces a tree trunk that was cut. On September 14, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that the area does not come under forest land and the metro will help reduce the city’s carbon footprint. Celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar also saw received flak for indirectly backing the decision to fell the trees. (Satyabrata Tripathy / HT Photo)

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Police detain protesters at the spot. On September 18, the Bombay High Court had asked the state if relocating the shed to Kanjurmarg was viable. This was countered by BMC Chief Praveen Pardeshi who said that the move was cost and time prohibitive. Stalin D, director of NGO Vanashakti and one of the petitioners, said they were “deeply disappointed” by the turn of events since Friday. (Satyabrata Tripathy / HT Photo)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

Police detain protesters at the spot. On September 18, the Bombay High Court had asked the state if relocating the shed to Kanjurmarg was viable. This was countered by BMC Chief Praveen Pardeshi who said that the move was cost and time prohibitive. Stalin D, director of NGO Vanashakti and one of the petitioners, said they were “deeply disappointed” by the turn of events since Friday. (Satyabrata Tripathy / HT Photo)

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As protests sparked, the entire Aarey Colony was cordoned off by Mumbai police Saturday. Police started dispersing the crowd and forcibly removed protesters, an official said. “Section 144 of the CrPC, banning unlawful assembly, was imposed in Aarey Colony, Goregaon check post and surrounding areas on Saturday,” a Mumbai police spokesperson said. (Pramod Thakur / HT Photo)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

As protests sparked, the entire Aarey Colony was cordoned off by Mumbai police Saturday. Police started dispersing the crowd and forcibly removed protesters, an official said. “Section 144 of the CrPC, banning unlawful assembly, was imposed in Aarey Colony, Goregaon check post and surrounding areas on Saturday,” a Mumbai police spokesperson said. (Pramod Thakur / HT Photo)

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While nobody from the state government has reacted on the issue so far, Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar, speaking to the media in Lucknow, defended MMRC move to fell trees in Aarey, saying it was “not a forest”. Drawing a parallel, the Union minister said trees had to be cut for Delhi Metro also and it was opposed by activists even then. (Satish Bate / HT Photo)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

While nobody from the state government has reacted on the issue so far, Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar, speaking to the media in Lucknow, defended MMRC move to fell trees in Aarey, saying it was “not a forest”. Drawing a parallel, the Union minister said trees had to be cut for Delhi Metro also and it was opposed by activists even then. (Satish Bate / HT Photo)

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Police vehicles cordon the paths to Aarey colony. The proposed car shed, part of the metro-3 project, will occupy 33 hectares in the southern part of Aarey Colony. Meanwhile, opposition NCP and Congress targeted the ruling Shiv Sena and BJP, saying that the saffron parties have failed to save trees. (PTI)

Updated on Oct 06, 2019 11:32 am IST

Police vehicles cordon the paths to Aarey colony. The proposed car shed, part of the metro-3 project, will occupy 33 hectares in the southern part of Aarey Colony. Meanwhile, opposition NCP and Congress targeted the ruling Shiv Sena and BJP, saying that the saffron parties have failed to save trees. (PTI)

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