Published 21:53 IST, September 7th 2019

Aarey Colony's last resort: Students ask Bear Grylls to help

The students of St Xavier's college have written to Bear Grylls as a last resort to ask him to help them rescue Aarey Colony from impending deforestation

Reported by: Akriti Tyagi
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Opposition against Aarey Colony's impending deforestation has been ongoing for  past week after citizens found out about  proposal to fell trees in area in order to construct a Mumbai Metro car shed. Perturbed at thought of losing rare green patch of Aarey Colony in urban jungle that Mumbai has become associated with, students of St Xavier's college have w written to rewned British adventurer, Bear Grylls. y have sought his support to stop felling of trees in Aarey Colony for Mumbai Metro.

READ I Aarey forest axing: Lata Mangeshkar firmly against 'tragic' decision

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'Save Aarey' movement

Some students of St Xavier's college joined hands with KAASH Foundation and have written to Bear Grylls, requesting him to back 'Save Aarey' movement aimed at preventing deforestation in Aarey Colony.

St Xavier's students on September 5, in ir letter to Bear Grylls, wrote that "government is arbitrarily, and despite opposition from citizens, out to eng in state-sponsored environmental vandalism"; and he should voice support for those who are opposing it, reported PTI.
“This vandalism needs to be condemned outright,” read letter. students of St Xavier's college also urged Bear Grylls to personally come and gauge situation.

READ I Aarey forest: Bombay High Court seeks answers from MMRDA and MCGM

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In reply to this, students received an auto-generated email from his public relations office, saying "due to volume of enquiries we receive we will only respond where necessary in taking an enquiry furr."

Prof Avkash Jadhav, Head of Department of History at St Xavier's college and trustee of KAASH Foundation who helped students send letter, said, "Response from Bear Grylls will definitely add furr sensitivity to this issue." 

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READ I Shraddha Kapoor joins protest to save Aarey forest, questions BMC

PM Modi's adventures with Bear Grylls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently featured in Bear Grylls's popular TV show, "Man vs Wild", in which two were shown trekking through Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. broadcast of same had ended up breaking worldwide viewership records. letter from students of St Xavier's college also referred to this broadcast. 

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READ I Man Vs Wild: PM Modi walks in wild with Bear Grylls, talks about conserving nature

A week ago, Maharashtra government had decided to allow around 2,700 trees to be cut in Aarey Colony to accommodate a car-shed of Mumbai Metro.  citizens have been voicing ir concern ever since.

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18:55 IST, September 7th 2019