Cases against protesters of Aarey forest cutting to be taken back: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai : Two days after CM Uddhav Thackeray halted the cutting of Aarey forest trees for Mumbai Metro shed, the CM has announced that all cases against the protesters will also be withdrawn.

“I have ordered to take back the cases filed against many environmentalists, during the agitation against Aarey metro car shed,” Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday.

In the state assembly, Uddhav Thackeray had passed the order to stop cutting down of Aarey Forest area, also known as the lungs of Mumbai.

The order from the new chief minister comes after he earlier said that not a single leaf will be cut from the tree until further developments.

“I have ordered to stop the work of Aarey metro car shed project today. Metro work will not stop but till next decision, not a single leaf of Aarey will be cut,” he had said.

Though, he maintained that the construction work will be done with an eye on no harm to the environment.

In October, the Bombay High Court had also refused to declare Aarey Colony a forest and refused to quash the Mumbai municipal corporation’s decision to cut 2,600 trees in the area to set up a metro car shed.

After widespread protests erupted following the felling of trees in Mumbai’s Aarey colony, the apex court late in October ordered the Maharashtra government not to axe any more trees and maintain the status quo till further orders.