There are widespread campaigns spreading lies, myths, and baseless claims which aim to justify the disastrous move to build metro car shed inside Aarey forest as an environmentally friendly alternative to solve Mumbai's transport woes.
Let us debunk the lies spread by the new government led by Mr Devendra Fadnavis & Eknath Shinde:
Lie # 1: Aarey is not a forest. NGT and Bombay HC rejected the claim that Aarey is a forest.
The Fact:
1. There is no such rejection from NGT. As far as BOMBAY HC is concerned, they have rejected the claim only for the change of land zone. They have recorded that the case for declaring Aarey as a forest is pending.
2. Aarey fulfils all criteria to be called a forest according to the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO by the United Nations has defined forest as:
⦁ A land with tree crown cover (or equivalent stocking level) of more than 10% and area of more than 0.5 hectares.
⦁ The trees should be able to reach a minimum height of 5 m at maturity in situ.
⦁ Natural forests are forests composed mainly of indigenous trees not deliberately planted.
Aarey forest is 104 sq km. There are several trees which have heights of more than 50 feet. Aarey falls under the category of natural forest where there are indigenous trees like double coconut (found in the Western Ghats and north-east India) Mango, Peepul, Jamun, Mahua, Ghost tree, Toddy Palm, Red Silk Cotton, Flame of the forest, Kachnar, Umbar, Banyan, Ber, Ain, Bhend, Haldu, Kalamb, Behda, Teak, Tamarind, Kusum, Amaltash/Indian Laburnum, Karanj, Shisham or Rosewood, Shirish, Gunda, Khirni.
3. If we define forest as a complex ecosystem consisting mainly of trees that buffer the earth and support a myriad of life forms then Aarey is a forest with mammalian species like leopard, spotted deer, rusty-spotted cat, jungle cat, palm civet, small Indian civet, Indian mongoose, jackal, wild boar, Indian Palm Squirrel, Bonnet Macaque, Rhesus Macaque, common Langur, flying fox and common Pipistrelle (Bats). Besides, its rich biodiversity comprises of:
77 different avifauna (birdlife) species
90 different types of spiders
5 species of Tarantula
6 species of scorpions
86 species of butterflies – Plain tiger, striped tiger, common crow, chocolate pansy, common mormon to name a few
6 species of venomous snakes
Caeciliaus, rare amphibian discovered at the interiors of Aarey colony
10 rarest species of birds found in Aarey –
Hoopoe
Indian Roller
Indian Blackbird
Grey Hornbill
Chestnut trail Starlings
Rosy Starlings
Glossy Ibis
Loten’s Sunbird
Spotted Owlets
Orange headed ground thrush
3. Aarey forest houses indigenous tribes. There are 27 hamlets of Adivasis inside Aarey forest.
All the above facts prove that Aarey is an undisputed forest land.