Environmentalists climb on tree to protest hacking of trees

Two environmental activists today climbed on a tree here to protest hacking of trees for a metro -related project.
Abhay and Aarti Tamore, members of the Aarey Conservation Group (ACG), were protesting hacking of trees in South Mumbai, where work is underway on a third corridor of Mumbai Metro.
In a bid to stop the contractor from hacking trees, the duo climbed on a tree, forcing him to stop the work.
Abhay and Aarti were briefly detained by police.
Other protesters assembled at the spot shouted slogans against the contractor and Mumbai Metro, alleged the tree feeling was not within stipulated norms.

"The trees are being cut haphazardly without following the guidelines of the Supreme Court. This work has to be done in consultation with a committee which has not been formed yet," Aarti told PTI.

Aarti, an IT professional, said like-minded people would approach the Bombay High Court on Friday for a direction to stop disorderly cutting of trees.
Meanwhile, ACG alleged its members are not being allowed by the contractor to see the documents related to tree hacking.
Amrita Bhattacharjee, a member of ACG, said, "The contractor has claimed they have got orders to hack trees but they are not showing documents to anyone.

"The track record of MMRDA (Mumbai's town planning agency) regarding compensatory plantation is very dubious and we do not believe on them," she said.