Aarey activists unhappy with chief minister's clarifications

Mumbai: “Save Aarey” activists tabled a couple of questions for the chief minister in a conference held with Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Friday.

They alleged involvement of fraud in acquiring the 33 hectares of land for the metro car shed at Aarey.

The activists presented several government letters as proof of the CM’s involvement in letting Aarey land open up for the “no development zone”. The activists criticised Fadnavis for denying facts presented by the government department itself.

The activists presented official letters from the state government to prove that MMRC was given alternatives such as the Kanjurmarg plot to save Aarey from the metro car shed. Activist Zoru Bathena said, “In 2015, the state government’s map showed 41 hectares of undisputed land at Kanjurmarg to be allotted for the metro 3 car shed. But the government took a u-turn in 2016 and came back to Aarey.”

A letter released by the department of animal husbandry, dairying and fisheries said that of the 33 hectares, three hectares would be utilised commercially for raising funds for the project.

Activists fear that this will invite further commercial exploitation of the green space.

A letter from the city collector was also presented where the collector mentioned about the National Green Tribunal stay at Aarey.

Another activist Amrita Bhattacharya said, “MMRC has always denied about the NGT stay but the government letters mention it.”