Rohit Sharma is India’s Very Own Lorax

Those of you who are familiar with the story "The Lorax" will know that it is a fable that highlights the negative impact that corporate greed will have on nature. The Lorax is a cute creature that voices his displeasure at the Truffula trees in his homeland being chopped down so that one man can get rich. This one man is known as the Once-ler, and he represents greedy America, a country that wants all the latest items without caring about the consequences. It looks like India has its very own Lorax in the form of Rohit Sharma.

The Trees in Mumbai’s Aarey Colony Are at Risk

The Aaery Colony is an area of dense forest that is situated in the heart of Mumbai. It is often referred to as Mumbai's last green lung, but it is at risk of being drastically reduced in size even more. At the beginning of 2019, 40 hectares were cleared in order to build a zoo and now the Maharashtra government want to cut down another 2,500 trees in order to clear space for a new metro project.

It has, rightfully so, caused an uproar among the locals, with a number of protests being held over the last few weeks to stop more valuable trees being cut down. The protests seem to have worked for now as the Supreme Court, on the 6th October, prohibited the removal of any more trees until the next hearing, which is due to take place on October 21st.

Rohit Sharma Has Added His Voice to the Protests

Indian batsman Rohit Sharma, who became the first player to score two test centuries on his debut as an opener, has decided to have his say on the matter as well. He left a Tweet declaring that the Aaery Colony is a vital part of Mumbai as it helps clean the air and keep the area slightly cooler. How can we even think about taking that away? What about the thousands of innocent animals that will lose their homes?

Let's Hope for the Same Positive Ending That the Lorax Saw

At the end of the Dr. Seuss fable, there is one last Truffula tree seed left, which the Once-ler gives to the un-named boy after having seen the errors of his ways. The story ends with us knowing that that the boy will plant the seed and things will eventually get back to how they were before.

Hopefully, the protests from the locals and sportsmen such as Rohit Sharma will be enough for the Maharashtra government to see the errors of their ways and put an end to the destruction of the beautiful Aaery Colony.