Mumbai: ‘This free giveaway of Aarey land must stop’

Bombay Veterinary College campus. File Pic

The state government plans to allocate around three acres of prime land at the Bombay Veterinary College campus, adjacent to Aarey Milk Colony, to a cooperative bank for the construction of Sahakar Bhavan. However, city-based environmentalists, activists, and nature lovers are opposing the move.

Sources close to the development said, "There are plans to transfer approximately three acres of land at the Bombay Veterinary College campus, adjacent to Aarey Milk Colony. A government letter detailing the transfer of the land to the Revenue and Forest Department for the construction of a Sahakar Bhavan for a cooperative bank was uploaded to the government's website on July 29 but was later removed.

A copy of the letter from the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, and Fisheries Department, obtained by mid-day, states that 145 acres of land in Goregaon, Mumbai, belongs to the department, where Bombay Veterinary College operates.

Environmentalist Stalin D from NGO Vanashakti said, "This free giveaway of Aarey land to various entities must stop. Declaring 812 acres as forest doesn't mean the rest is open for distribution. There needs to be a conservation plan for the remaining parts of Aarey that haven't been declared forest. We don't need a distribution plan for this land. We will oppose this move because the land within the Bombay Veterinary College campus also needs protection as it acts as a buffer to Aarey Milk Colony. Those who acquire the land should remember that tree felling is prohibited, and any change in land use will be vigorously opposed."

Activist Zoru Bhathena said, "Acre by acre, Aarey is being eaten into. We are in a situation today, where our green spaces need to increase, not decrease. This unhealthy government appetite to eat into every green space needs to stop."

Stalin further stated that the site near the Bombay Veterinary College campus is densely forested and needs protection, not deforestation. "The Revenue Department needs to reconsider its actions, as it is treating Aarey like a wasteland and immediately allocating it for non-forestry purposes. This shows gross contempt and mocks the Supreme Court, which has ordered a ban on tree felling in Aarey. The approach seems to be to give the land away first and then seek court approval for tree felling," Stalin added.

Activist Godfrey Pimenta said, "The decision to declare 812 acres of Aarey Milk Colony a reserve forest in 2020 and to designate nearly the entire area as a green zone in January 2024 reflects the Maharashtra government's recognition of Aarey's ecological significance and commitment to its protection. However, recent actions to allocate parts of this ecologically sensitive area to a corporate bank contradict these earlier efforts to safeguard the environment. Such land usage decisions undermine the goal of preserving Aarey's natural habitat and biodiversity, raising serious concerns about the state's commitment to maintaining the integrity of this vital green space. The state government must uphold its promise to protect Aarey by preventing any further encroachments that could compromise its ecological value.

The district cooperative bank will reportedly fund the construction of the building. There are also discussions within the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, and Fisheries Department suggesting that the former Secretary of the department, Tukaram Mundhe, was transferred in June because he allegedly opposed this move.