Maharashtra Go Green Foundation, an environmental NGO will be organising a 'Chipko Movement' with around 350-400 children at Kolshet Mangroves in Thane on Sunday. The organisation is conducting this protest to prevent nearly 1,200 trees from being cut for a project and has demanded the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to relocate the trees.
Kasber Augustine, President of the NGO, said that the organisation has already sent two letters to the Additional Commissioner of TMC, Sunil Chavan. “We had sent a letter on May 12 this year with around 4,000 signatures. All the signatories were making one simple request – relocate the trees to a separate area instead of killing them,” said Augustine.
The NGO activist had also given plant saplings to Chavan to register their protest. The TMC had given permission to Clariant Company to cut down the trees for construction purpose. “The Tree Authority Department in the TMC is supposed to consult local citizens and NGOs before giving any permission. They did not consult us before giving permission to the company and we feel that they are hand in glove with them,” said Augustine.
He also informed that the company has been dumping debris in the mangrove area. “They have dumped almost 100 tonne of debris in the mangrove area and it can destroy the adjacent mangrove forest. We won't allow this to happen,” said Augustine.
