On this first Monday of October 2019, there are some new happenings in the last couple of days, which caught my attention, and the same I like to share with you all.
1 What has happened to SC- Rishav Ranjan, who is a student in Law College in Noida wrote to Chief Justice of India regarding tree cutting in Aarey area of Mumbai, after Bombay High Court gave the decision on Friday (4th Oct 2019) that Aarey is not a forest and for Metro 3 infra Project about 2200 trees are allowed to be cut. Few weeks back it was the same SC which dis allowed the petitions by the activist who had approached SC in this matter, saying that matter should be heard by HC, and HC will give the decision. The fact of the matter is most of the trees which were required to cut for making Car Shed for Metro, have already been cut. So what is a great hurry in hearing this petition in Dussera vacations of SC. The vacation officer of the SC issued a notice on Sunday to state that court had constituted a special bench consisting of Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Arun Mishra to hear the matter today on Monday at 10 am.
You all are aware that this matter has been lingering in the courts for almost 2 years, and I had written about this matter in my earlier blogs. It looks like now the SC is also playing the role of an activist. Secondly it looks like SC has no faith in HC, as they have decided to hear a petition against the judgement of HC. Now they are hearing this petition, but actually the agency who is executing the Metro work decided to cut the tree right after the judgement of HC. The fact is Metro work is already getting delayed and each day of delay is costing the exchequer more than Rs 4 Cr.
The actual fact is the car shed area is having 3691 trees, out of which 461 trees will be transplanted, 2185 will be cut and rest will not be touched. To compensate these 2185 tree which will be cut, 6 times more trees are to be planted and also geotagged. The claim by the activists that Mumbai green lungs are being destroyed, is no where close to the facts.
I do not feel any rational in the green activists claim that Metro 3 infra project in Mumbai is harmful for the ecological balance.
Secondly why these activists never protested when Royal Palms project which includes golf course came between the National park and Aarey, when film city was allowed in side the Aarey area. For these 2 projects the trees which were cut were many times more than which are being cut now for Metro car shed. It looks like some organisation is working behind and funding these activists, so that the project is stalled or delayed. Already the cost of the project is increased by Rs 7000 Crs because of various delays. Do these activists realised that what is hardship faced by the ordinary citizens when these infra projects are delayed. The funny part is that there are some people who will never travel by Metro but they are also part of activist brigade and are posting their comments on social media.
The latest on this is that today SC has ordered that no more trees to be cut in Aarey, and asking Maharashtra govt to maintain the status quo in this matter. Next hearing is on 21st Oct 2019. I do not understand the position taken by SC when they say today “ it appears to us that it was some kind of forest at some time”. When earlier order of SC is to the contrary, which had said Aarey is not a forest. High Court also said last week that Aarey is not a forest. I had no idea that different SC/HC judges can interpret the law differently, if this is the case god save the legal system of our country.
2 Cricket- In the end India won the first test match against South Africa at Vizag, in a convincing manner. Although at the end of 4th day it looked like that South Africa will be giving tough fight to India, but in the end they lost by 203 runs, it is South Africa’s heaviest defeat in tests after scoring more than 400 runs in first innings. Some of the other achievements by the Indian players in this test are-
-By scoring century centuries in both the innings, it looks like Rohit Sharma has cemented his place as Test opener.
– During the course of this test Ravindra Jadeja became the fastest left arm bowler to take 200 wickets in the test matches. He achieved this feat in 44 tests.
– Ravichandran Ashwin became the joint fastest to take 350 test wickets, he shared this record with Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, both of them achieved this feat in 66 tests..
– Mohd Shammi has become the Indian bowler with the most strike rate in 4th innings (criteria-bowlers who have played more than 30 test matches). His strike rate is 36.4, which is ahead of Ashwin (45.9) and Bedi (47.2)
In this test match, one more record was broken and ie most sixes smashed in a test match. SA & India combined hit 37 sixes, which broke the earlier record held by Pakistan/New Zealand of 35 sixes in Sharjah (2014).
One thing more both Ashwin and Shammi has proven themselves once again that they are the world class test bowlers.
Waiting for your views/comments/feed backs.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
7th Oct 2019.