The government of
Maharashtra is very much concerned about its citizens’ comfort and welfare. It
is trying its ‘best’ to solve the problems concerning the taxpayers through its
‘ambitious’ projects. One such ambitious project for which the government is anxiously
looking forward is Borivali-Thane six-lane tunnel project passing through the
world’s only city forest area, Sanjay Gandhi National Park. This project
follows suit after its another ‘ambitious’ project of ‘development’ of Aarey
Colony which is the only surviving green lungs of Mumbai by constructing Metro
Car Shade, building low budget homes, introducing entertainment park and
building schools and hospitals. The government of Maharashtra seems to have a
special affinity for green areas as most of its ‘development projects’ are
planned in these scarcely available green areas.
The fact that
sustainable development is far from the vision of
Maharashtra State Road Development, Public Works Department, BMC, and
Government of Maharashtra is evident from the presumptuous statement made by
PWD minister Eknath Shinde that the project has NO impact on the environment!
Environmentalists have warned about the possible damage that may cause to the
groundwater table because of activities related to the construction of the
tunnel, which may end up drying Tulsi and Vihar Lakes. Sanjay Gandhi National
Park was already besieged with the issue of dry waterholes in summer last year
which had left its animal residents dehydrated. Does drying up of water bodies
not constitute adverse environmental impact? The constant sound of construction work, sounds
from vehicles once the tunnel becomes operational, the inevitable honking and
human interference in the otherwise silent forest zone are going to disturb the
wild inhabitants of the forest. Is this not an adverse environmental impact?
Sanjay Gandhi National Park is still facing problems of countless unauthorized
structures and hutments despite the Mumbai High Court asking authorities to
clear the park of all inhabitation more than a decade ago which have been
leading to massive deforestation. The increased human settlement due to the
construction of the tunnel is further going to pose threat to the illegal
occupation of the national park increasing the animal-human conflict. But it
seems that the government doesn’t find any of the above issues as a threat to
the environment as long as there is economic sustainability.
sustainable development is far from the vision of
Maharashtra State Road Development, Public Works Department, BMC, and
Government of Maharashtra is evident from the presumptuous statement made by
PWD minister Eknath Shinde that the project has NO impact on the environment!
Environmentalists have warned about the possible damage that may cause to the
groundwater table because of activities related to the construction of the
tunnel, which may end up drying Tulsi and Vihar Lakes. Sanjay Gandhi National
Park was already besieged with the issue of dry waterholes in summer last year
which had left its animal residents dehydrated. Does drying up of water bodies
not constitute adverse environmental impact? The constant sound of construction work, sounds
from vehicles once the tunnel becomes operational, the inevitable honking and
human interference in the otherwise silent forest zone are going to disturb the
wild inhabitants of the forest. Is this not an adverse environmental impact?
Sanjay Gandhi National Park is still facing problems of countless unauthorized
structures and hutments despite the Mumbai High Court asking authorities to
clear the park of all inhabitation more than a decade ago which have been
leading to massive deforestation. The increased human settlement due to the
construction of the tunnel is further going to pose threat to the illegal
occupation of the national park increasing the animal-human conflict. But it
seems that the government doesn’t find any of the above issues as a threat to
the environment as long as there is economic sustainability.
 |
| Unauthorized construction inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park |
PWD minister, Eknath
Shinde wants citizens of Mumbai to believe that the tunnel will reduce
pollution and save fuel consumption. If the government is really
concerned about reducing the travel time thereby reducing the fuel and
pollution, the first step it should take is to work on providing better and
decongested roads rather than attacking the ecology as a solution for every
infrastructure developmental need. The roads in Mumbai are encroached by garage
owners, cars’ showrooms, transporters, restaurants and housing societies who
park their vehicles on the road. The other encroachments come from shops and
commercial establishments that have illegally occupied the roads causing
bottlenecked roads and consequent traffic jams. The next nightmare for Mumbai
comes in the form of roads dug throughout the year to lay cables by utility
suppliers like electricity, telephone, and internet connections companies which
disturb the road base and lead to potholes formation. Mumbai suffers a huge
loss of fuel wastage annually on account of poor road conditions and traffic
jams. The poor conditions of roads make Mumbai susceptible to road traffic
accidents, making the city ‘Accident Capital’ of the country. The government
should first ‘ambitiously’ take severe action against encroachments and make
roads congestion-free. There should be brainstorming and concrete
action on how to make all utility suppliers carry out their work without
digging the road and damaging its top surface. If BMC and government get
serious in tackling the above issues, then the travel time between any two
places in Mumbai could be drastically reduced thereby reducing the fuel
consumption, pollution and saving the precious time of the tax payers. It is
primarily advised to first rectify the existing infrastructure within the city
through the above solutions that are practical, simple as well as cost
effective rather building new infrastructure that involves skyrocketing
budgets.
Shinde wants citizens of Mumbai to believe that the tunnel will reduce
pollution and save fuel consumption. If the government is really
concerned about reducing the travel time thereby reducing the fuel and
pollution, the first step it should take is to work on providing better and
decongested roads rather than attacking the ecology as a solution for every
infrastructure developmental need. The roads in Mumbai are encroached by garage
owners, cars’ showrooms, transporters, restaurants and housing societies who
park their vehicles on the road. The other encroachments come from shops and
commercial establishments that have illegally occupied the roads causing
bottlenecked roads and consequent traffic jams. The next nightmare for Mumbai
comes in the form of roads dug throughout the year to lay cables by utility
suppliers like electricity, telephone, and internet connections companies which
disturb the road base and lead to potholes formation. Mumbai suffers a huge
loss of fuel wastage annually on account of poor road conditions and traffic
jams. The poor conditions of roads make Mumbai susceptible to road traffic
accidents, making the city ‘Accident Capital’ of the country. The government
should first ‘ambitiously’ take severe action against encroachments and make
roads congestion-free. There should be brainstorming and concrete
action on how to make all utility suppliers carry out their work without
digging the road and damaging its top surface. If BMC and government get
serious in tackling the above issues, then the travel time between any two
places in Mumbai could be drastically reduced thereby reducing the fuel
consumption, pollution and saving the precious time of the tax payers. It is
primarily advised to first rectify the existing infrastructure within the city
through the above solutions that are practical, simple as well as cost
effective rather building new infrastructure that involves skyrocketing
budgets.
Wish money could grow
on trees, our politicians would have been ‘ambitious’ about ‘development’ of
forest cover.
on trees, our politicians would have been ‘ambitious’ about ‘development’ of
forest cover.
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