he Mumbai Metro Rail Corp Limited (MMRC) on Tuesday clarified that the agency has felled 2,141 trees. | Photo Credit: Representative Image

Key Highlights No entry to wildlife activists in Aarey forest by Mumbai police Activists claim many bird species lying injured in Aarey forest after tree cutting Police ask activists to approach MMRCL to enter the site

Mumbai: In a double whammy for birds and other animals, the Mumbai police on Tuesday barred entry of wildlife activists and bird rescuers to Aarey forest to save injured species lying homeless at Metro car shed site.

Wildlife activists and animal welfare workers had arranged two ambulances to rescue birds and animals from the Aarey forest after massive tree cutting by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) on Friday night.

According to a report, activists said they could not save a single life due to police restrictions and there are many more species struggling to survive at the Metro car shed site.

An activist Anand Siva said they had sought permission from the police in advance to enter the site, but they were refused entry.

"Keeping in view the widespread tree cutting in Aarey, we tried to reach out to the injured species including birds, squirrels, snakes," the report quoted Siva as saying.

Meanwhile, another wildlife activist, Pawan Sharma, said the police should have allowed them to rescue animals on compassionate ground.

According to police, permission to wildlife activists was not given as the site belongs to MMRCL. Rather, the activists were advised to approach MMRCL to enter the site.

"At this time of the year, a lot of younger bird species reside on trees. Thus there is a need to save these lot of these birds. So, these volunteers must be allowed inside to save whatever of these species are left after tree cutting," the report quoted veteran bid watcher Sunjoy Monga as saying.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corp Limited (MMRC) on Tuesday clarified that the agency has felled 2,141 trees following a decision of the Bombay High Court on October 4 upholding the permission by the Tree Authority to cut trees. The MMRC also said the construction activities will begin soon once the site is cleared of the felled trees.

Earlier on Monday, the apex court directed the authorities not to cut any more trees in North Mumbai's Aarey Colony, which was being done to set up a Metro car shed. The court said that the tree cutting should be stopped till the next environmental bench hearing.

The apex court also constituted a special bench for an urgent hearing. The move to cut down thousands of trees has sparked angry reactions from people, civil society groups, opposition parties and residents of the area.