The civic body's plans for the Gargai dam in the Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary not only involve eating up 720 hectares of forest land, but also the destruction of over four lakh trees — a number equal to the tree population of the entire Aarey Milk Colony. The BMC has conveniently chosen to be silent about the colossal tree loss since the project's announcement.

A Forest Department official, who did not wish to be named, said, "The BMC-appointed consultant, Naik Environment Research Institute Limited, in its survey of the site at Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary estimated the loss of four to five lakh indigenous trees."