Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor on Sunday joined a protest against the proposed felling of over 2,700 trees in Aarey forest to build a metro carshed, terming the decision of the civic body's tree authority “ridiculous”.
Several others celebrities also took to Twitter asking the government to reconsider and reverse it.
The Tree Authority of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Thursday gave its nod to cut over 2,700 trees for a Metro car shed in the Aarey Colony adjoining suburban Goregaon which is a major green lung of the city.
As part of the protest, a human chain was formed by citizens on Sunday morning at Aarey forest.
Kapoor said she joined the protest to register her complaint over the “shocking” permission which was granted and hoped it would be reversed.
Going live on her Instagram account, the actor said, “All of us are here to support mother nature. We already have pollution problems, so how can permission to chop off trees be given?”
“How can you give permission to cut the lungs of Mumbai? 2700 plus trees are said to be cut, which is ridiculous, this permission which has been granted is ridiculous. This can't happen,” the actor said.
Shraddha isn't the only Bollywood celebrity to have voiced concern over the decision.
Tagging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, actor Dia Mirza took to Twitter and wrote, “Not against the metro. Please build it. But not at the cost of disrupting an ecological system that provides invaluable human services. Alternatives for the car shed exist.”
“It may take more time. But choose better! Stop massacre of Aarey Forest,” Dia added.
Actor Raveena Tandon also expressed outrage against the decision, tweeting, “Shocking that we are letting this happen. Why are the citizens voices not being heard?”
Actor Randeep Hooda said cutting down of trees at Aarey was a “really sad news” and tagged PM Narendra Modi, along with Maharashtra CM.
“What can we helpless citizens do... We cry over Amazon fires and watch this destruction in our own backyard rather quietly ? What should we do?” he tweeted.
Actor Esha Gupta too called the move “ridiculous” and said, “Our environment shouldn't be about politics, we need to leave something behind for the kids, not just flying cars n metros,where a plant will soon be the most expensive thing to own....#SaveAareyForest.”
Comedian Kapil Sharma, speaking on the sidelines of an event of Bhamla Foundation, said the government is “intelligent enough and I am sure they will take a proper decision”.
“It is essential to make Metro. So how do they make this project possible by saving the trees also, is something the government will have to think,” he said.
Playback singer Shaan, who too was present at the event said, there is a lot of debate over this but so far no one has come up with an alternate site for the carshed.
“We are not getting any solution...Definitely we would not want the trees to be cut, it shouldn't happen, we should avoid it,” he said.
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