Aarey Colony: Don’t give nod to construction in eco-sensitive area, NGT tells civic body

In February 2013, a proposal was forwarded to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) by the chief conservator of forests (CCF), which said areas between 0 and 2 km from Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) should be declared as eco-sensitive areas (ESA). Subsequently, in May 2015, another proposal was forwarded by the CCF to increase the area to 0-4 km from Sanjay Gandhi Nehru Park (SGNP) as ESA and to cover 4,961 hectares, including Aarey Colony.

In his affidavit to the tribunal, Assistant Conservator of Forest Sanjay Laske said the entire Aarey Colony area was shown as ESA, and that the CCF had not granted any permission for tree felling or construction activity within the area.

“Laske stated 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 already come up due to apartments or illegal buildings and added that both these reports were already made available to the BMC,” the NGT order stated.

BMC’s draft DP released in February had, however, proposed new development on the 1,009 hectares of Aarey land, leaving only 232 hectares of the pristine green cover intact.

The tribunal has now constituted a committee comprising deputy commissioner of BMC, deputy conservator of forests, Thane, and the commissioner of dairy development department that is likely to note the spots of construction with details and proximate area covered by the ESA within a week.

The original plan was to build a depot on the 30 hectares of Aarey land.

However, stiff opposition to tree felling had forced the state to form a committee to look at other viable locations to build the car shed. The report recommends a double-deck depot in Aarey near the present location, which will utilise 20.82 hectares.

The next hearing is on September 10.

anjali.lukose@expressindia.com