Save Aarey: Lessons from the movement with environmentalists Rishi Agarwal and Vidyadhar Pathak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piZL4VuR7Ls Citizen Matters
Jun 10, 2024
Rishi Aggarwal, an environmentalist, founder of the Mumbai Sustainability Centre and the Walking Project, was active in the Aarey Movement for several years.
After realising that the Metro car shed would not be shifted, he felt that one should stop the fight and probably try and work on other struggles. He strongly feels that the time for action at Aarey was a decade ago in 2014-15 and not later. He has now written a book about his experience with the movement, titled, "Saving Aarey: The undoing of an environmental campaign.”
The book not only traces the journey of the movement, but also critically looks at the role played by politicians, policy makers and most importantly, the middle-class of the city.
Citizen Matters hosted an online discussion with author Rishi Aggarwal and environmentalist Vidyadhar Pathak, just before the book launch on June 5th.
In a straightforward and honest conversation about the movement and other environmental issues that plague the city, Rishi underscored the importance of civic participation in safeguarding the forests and green lungs.
He and Vidyadhar highlighted that if development projects do not take environmental impact into consideration, we are headed for hotter summers, drier monsoons and severe winters. And it is for people to helm the struggle to save their cities from climate change. https://citizenmatters.in/
https://citizenmatters.in/mumbai-aarey-movement-nine-years/ The Metro Car Shed will come in Aarey Forest but the tribal community, citizens and activists keep the good fight on for city's precious trees.