Page 66 - RUT Publisher

Life Science Research and Sustainable Development ISBN: 978-98-84663-33-9

Assessment (EIA) study from 2012 for the proposed metro project in Aarey. In contrast to the EIA
report, In cooperation with the forest department, a team of scientists and wildlife enthusiasts
has been carefully compiling data on wildlife, especially the elusive predators that call Aarey
home. An average of four to five adult leopards can be found in Aarey at any given time, with a
transient population that travels between Aarey and SGNP. Since this particular monitoring
operation in Aarey started in 2015, four adult females, Adarsh Nagar, Bindu, Chandani, and
Luna, have been consistently showing up in data recorded throughout various periods.

Alt text : Luna and a male
(Source- Ranjeet Jadhav)

Threats caused to the Biodiversity before the initiation of the Metro car-shed project:
Aarey and Film city is under severe threat from various anthropogenic activities. Some of the
activities are listed below:
● Destruction of forest
● Burning of dried leaf litter kills many reptiles, spiders, and other life forms residing
within the thick mat of leaf litter
● Soil erosion
● The proliferation of exotic flora
● Dumping of garbage in the water bodies
● Removal of soil for brick making
● Bootlegging
● Poaching of birds, turtles and monitoring lizards for consumption
● Speeding Vehicular traffic
● The proposed widening of roads
● Shifting of Zoo in Aarey

Metro Carshed project in Arrey-
The Aarey Milk Colony serves as both a center for biodiversity and a catchment area for the Mithi
River, which runs through Mumbai. For this reason, they have sought that 165 Ha of forest land
be denotified. The Maharashtra government is set about having its car shed here despite the
protests of the public and the existence of seven other alternatives.

Environmentalists from various organizations, activists, students, and citizens have been fighting
hard for more than three years to preserve the Aarey forest However, access to the area where

https://jesjalna.org/Zoology-Publications/index.html 58 Department of Zoology, J. E. S. College, Jalna