CPI (M) calls Aarey colony 'lung spots' of Mumbai, welcomes SC's orders

Calling Aarey colony one of the "lung spots" of Mumbai city, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Secretary-General Sitaram Yechury on Monday welcomed the stay imposed by the Supreme Court on felling of trees there.

Speaking to , Yechury said, "We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court as the Aarey colony is one of the lung spots in the sprawling city of Mumbai."

The top court had earlier today ordered the state government to not axe any more trees in the colony to make a metro shed and maintain the status quo till further orders.

Yechury said that the Maharashtra government must stop the activity and direct the metro cooperation to re-locate and change the logistics of their plan.

He also said that the protesters, who were put in jail, were merely raising their voice against the felling of trees.

"Axing trees in a city like Mumbai is not acceptable and this is the reason it lead to a public outcry. As a lot of people are raising their voice against climate change these days, whatever the government did was wrong," added Yechury.

Last week, a protest broke out in the area after the Bombay High Court dismissed all the petitions challenging the felling of trees. This led police to issue prohibitory orders, thereby banning unlawful assembly.

Following the imposition of the orders, scores of protesters were held and sent to judicial custody. They were, however, released on bail the next day.

The Mumbai Police earlier today said that the prohibitory orders will remain in effect till Tuesday morning.

( With inputs from ANI )