03 October,2016 08:40 AM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
Despite presence of leopards in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park as well as Aarey, expert committee of MoEF, set up for finalising eco-sensitive zone around the Park, shrinks eco area
Seven leopards have been spotted in the Aarey Colony alone. File pic
Thirty-five leopards in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), seven in Aarey colony alone, and no man-animal conflict in the last two years - these are some of the points agreed to by the expert committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), set up for finalising an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the SGNP. Why then, activists ask, has it reduced the ESZ area from Aarey instead of protecting the existing green cover?
The committee recently gave in-principle approval for excluding 165 hectares in the forest from the ESZ to allow the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) to construct a car depot there. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had asked for 60 hectares.
Greens see red
Green activists have also alleged that the MMRC misled the public as it said it requires only 30 hectares, later changing it to 60 hectares. The committee, however, granted it 165 hectares, including private land and some slums, explaining that's what the MMRC had asked for, and pointing to the minutes of the July 5 Expert Committee meeting for declaration of ESZ in MoEF's New Delhi office as proof. Thus, the final ESZ proposed is 5,946 hectares.
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"The SGNP covers an area of 8,696 hectares; however, the total area under the administrative control (balance area yet to be notified) is 10,368 hectares. The SGNP is spread across three districts - Palgar, Thane and Mumbai suburbs. Representatives of the state government informed that there are 35 leopards in the SGNP presently. Seven leopards have been reported inside Aarey Colony alone," read the minutes.
Wildlife researchers, environmentalists and activists said that knowing the leopard numbers, the committee should have declared Aarey a no-development zone.
Wildlife researcher Rajesh Sanap, who was a part of the team that did the leopard monitoring study at Aarey Milk Colony for Territorial Range of the Thane FD, said, "During our study, we found seven leopards in the Aarey Milk Colony... protecting the existing forest cover is an important thing because more development in the area means that the green cover will decrease, which is not good for the wildlife as well as humans."
The activists, who are against a car depot in Aarey, are also saying that there would be bigger protests if the depot plan were to be taken up at Aarey. They added that till the matter is being heard in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), no construction could begin as the NGT has asked to maintain a status quo on any work in Aarey.
Environment matters
To conserve and protect the habitat in and around SGNP, a draft notification SO 229(E) was published on January 22, declaring an ESZ around the park. It is spread over an administrative area of 10,368 hectares of the park, while the notified area is 8,696 hectares with a minimum of 100 metres and up to four kilometres from the boundary of SGNP.
Read Story: Mumbai: Poachers snare second leopard in three months
The minutes state, "Comments have been received from public/stakeholders on this draft notification, wherein requests have been received from various stakeholders for keeping bare minimum extent of the width of ESZ. It was noted that the national park being in the centre of the city, a large number of residential colonies, including high-rises, slums, office buildings and various types of human activities exist alongside the park on either side. Keeping these in view, the committee agreed to the state's proposal for a minimum extent of 100 metres and maximum extent of up to four km from the park boundary. The exclusion of an area of 165 hectares land for MMRC, a temple, etc, was also agreed to by the committee."
Locals say
"It seems that MMRC's motive is to grab green space from the colony. Earlier, it asked for 30 hectares, then 60. After reading the minutes of the meeting, we were shocked to read that they want to exclude 165 hectares from the Aarey. We will oppose any such move, because Aarey is not only home to seven leopards, but also acts as a recreational space for the citizens," said Stalin Dayanand from NGO Vanashakti and a member of the Save Aarey Conservation Group.
