Actors Katrina Kaif and Arjun Rampal have joined the growing list of Bollywood celebrities expressing disappointment over the Mumbai civic body decision to cut down 2,700 trees of Aarey Colony to accommodate a proposed Metro car shed project.
"I believe we all need to do our bit to protect the environment. What we just saw happen in the Amazon (rain forest fire) is something which is really concerning. I think now the problem is really so much in our face that we can no longer ignore it.
So, I think everyone needs to wake up and be conscious about what is happening because now it has come to the point where we will start seeing the adverse effect that is going to have upon us," said Katrina, interacting with the media at the red carpet of IIFA Rocks 2019 on Monday in Mumbai.
In recent times, several Bollywood celebrities including Lata Mangeshkar, Shraddha Kapoor, John Abraham, Dia Mirza, Raveena Tandon, Randeep Hooda have expressed their disappointment over the civic body's decision to cut down trees in Aarey Colony.
Extending his support to #SaveAarey campaign, Arjun said: "I feel development is a good thing but if you are doing it at the cost of nature then it's a complete disaster.
It's not a development and it can be called as regression so, whatever is happening with Aarey, I am not very keen on it. I don't think our trees should be cut and trees over there since hundreds of years old. If you cut trees of Aarey Colony, it's like taking out lungs of the Mumbai so, it's very important for us to stand up and make sure that there is another route that people take for that Metro project."
The Maharashtra government, especially chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, has expressed support for the project, which involves felling over 2,600 trees spread across a 30-hectare plot.
Meanwhile, ruling party Shiv Sena and the opposition Indian National Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have decided to approach the court. They have alleged that the administration pushed the proposal without addressing objections received from citizens.