We are our biggest enemies

Raveena Tandon makes an appeal: Save Mumbai’s green lungs, SGNP and Aarey Milk Colony

Raveena Tandon, brand ambassador of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), addressed the Rotary Club of Bombay on ‘Taking Mumbai to a Greener Future’ last Tuesday.

Taking a blunt approach, Raveena made it clear that she was there not as an actress but as a citizen and a Mumbaikar worried about growing environment problems, especially those surrounding the SGNP.

Raveena threw rhetorical questions at the audience to bolster her presentation. Everyone loves their city and wants to live a healthy and happy life, but what kind of a planet are we leaving for future generations? Is it only a concrete jungle? These questions lead one to conclude that there has been a complete global environmental breakdown. The reason, Raveena said, is “We”.

Raveena then read out a poem to Rotarians:

When the trees are gone, when all the animals are dead, when all the grass is brown and there are no birds in the sky, what are we going to eat? Money?

Thus, we have an immense battle ahead of us, said Raveena. Even though Mumbai is at an advantage because its coastal range minimises the effects of pollution, how long will this go on? The levels of pollution at BKC matched those of Delhi, said Raveena, which should send Mumbai’s alarm bells ringing.

Mumbai has always been at the forefront of development. However, environmental issues and global warming are on the rise, too, she said.

She then added that educating young minds through workshops and academic knowledge and environmental studies were paramount but ineffectual if not backed by government implementation of rules in favour of forests and green land.

“Unfortunately, the human race is at an alarming trend of destroying humanity itself. We are our biggest enemies
whether it is the pollution in the seas, forests, whether it is deforestation or whether it is over development. There is a line that we have to draw and fight,” said Raveena.

About SGNP, she said that encroachment, littering, poaching and forest fires remained the major challenges. Mananimal
conflict is on a rise. She pointed out that we are saving tigers but there are no forests for them. These animals then enter areas populated by humans where they get shot or poisoned. Vote bank politics worsens this conflict.
Rapid urbanisation cannot be stopped but there are alternatives that can be sought, felt Raveena. “Development and
environment can go hand in hand with better planning, implementation and execution! It is WE who should take the
responsibility to save the Green Lungs of our Mumbai.”

SGNP along with Aarey Milk Colony together form Mumbai’s green lungs. And yet there are many proposals afoot to cut Aarey down to size:

1. Widening of Aarey road by MCGM to convert it into the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road. This will involve the felling
of over 1,000 trees.
2. The construction of a zoo and metro yard by the MCGM and MMRDA. Over 2,500 trees will be felled towards this.
3. The MCGM has also proposed an economic growth hub in Aarey.

Aarey’s plight was brought to light at the Tuesday meeting by Green Warrior Stalin. Aarey is home to many species, a unique oasis of life; it hosts 76 species of birds, 86 species of butterflies, 38 species of reptiles and numerous mammals such as leopards, civets and barking deer. Citizens and crusaders have banded together to form ‘Save Aarey’, a community determined to save this tract of green land.

Towards its protest of the Metro 3 Car Shed project which will destroy 33 hectares of Aarey Forest Land, Save Aarey has provided the government with options. Stalin said, “Our people surveyed and found open space alternatives for the car shed which can be used instead of green space in Aarey. We have seven different options for the government including open land in Kalina or Kanjurmarg where the car shed can be made,” said Stalin. This is a battle that citizens are fighting on all fronts; from the top levels where the government itself is eating into the land to lower down the food chain with RTO encroachment, SRA building, “accidental” forest fires and more.

Various workshops and protests are being held with just one purpose: ‘Save Aarey’. Hence Stalin and Raveena urged
Rotarians to shower their support in any way possible. It is time to stand up together and speak for our ecosystem. To show your support: @ConserveAarey