Press Release
Mumbai, February 10th, 2020: Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray has sought guidance from experts in identifying sites for shifting the controversial, planned Metro Car Shed from Aarey.
Thackeray was responding to a Memorandum presented to him by the Forum of Environmental Journalists in India (FEJI), a countrywide network of journalists, which recently held a seminar in collaboration with the Mumbai Press Club on environmental and climate change issues for Mumbai, with Aarey in focus.
The Memorandum, presented by FEJI Joint Secretary, Atul Deulgaonkar, has called on the Environment Minister to take immediate steps to protect Aarey; pay
special attention to adding more buses and introducing bus-lanes while ceasing massive projects on private vehicular transport and to take action to address the
current crisis in water, air and environmental degradation in the State.
“I want to increase, within one year, buses running on electricity not only within Mumbai city but also in the State”, said Thackeray, adding that he also intends to plant 4 lakh trees in Mumbai.
The Minister was receptive to the journalists’ request to address environmental pollution in the State, being well aware about reducing Maharashtra’s carbon and water
footprint. He spoke of increasing the number of cities in Maharashtra where recycling and reuse of water would be set up.
Speaking of his intentions on integrating climate change concerns for all departments, he said, “I will a hold a conference on climate change issues involving all departments. Every department should be concerned about climate change and arrange their agenda accordingly.”
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The memorandum submitted by FEJI