Bhayandar: In a strong protest against the proposed felling of 12,400 trees for the Metro Line 9 car-shed project in Dongri-Uttan, the Mira-Bhayandar Congress unit and Youth Congress organized a symbolic 'Chipko Movement'. Led by District Congress President Pramod Jayram Samant, local residents, party workers, and environmental activists participated in the protest.

“This is not just about saving trees; it is an exposé of a broader, anti-nature conspiracy. The administration is hell bent on destroying 165 acre of pristine green zone for a project that needs only 30 to 50 acre. Despite alternative sites being available, they are ignoring viable options,” said Samant.

He further accused the authorities of violating the Maharashtra Tree Conservation Act and overriding the rights of local communities. “It appears the administration has become more powerful than the law itself. The ancestral rights of local tribal and fishing communities are being trampled upon. Their first right is to nature, not to iron wheels of a metro,” he added.

Congress vice president Aafreen Sayyed voiced concern over the impact on local biodiversity. “Leopards, jackals, and wild boars aren’t just names – they are native residents of this forest. No one has the right to barricade their homes. Nature is not just about aesthetics; it’s the foundation of our breath, our identity,” she said.

Youth Congress President Siddhesh Rane emphasized the protest’s purpose: “This fight is not political; it’s about the future of our children. Trees may not speak, but we’re shouting on their behalf.”

The protestors demanded immediate withdrawal of permission for tree felling, a scientific review of alternative sites, and legal recognition of local communities’ rights over the forested land. They vowed to stand firm against any bulldozers approaching Dongri’s verdant landscape.