08 June,2021 07:57 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
The formalities for the handover was completed on Monday
The Sanjay Gandhi National Park's authority on Monday took over the possession of 812 acres of forested patch in Aarey Milk Colony. The formalities of handing over the land from the Dairy Development Department to the Forest Department took place on Monday in the presence of the newly appointed Aarey Milk Colony's chief executive officer (CEO).
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sachin Repal, Range Forest Officer (RFO) Dinesh Desale, and other officials were present during the handover. The possession was taken in the presence of Borivli tahsildar and Town Survey officer, Malad. mid-day had reported on May 22 about the handover process, which environmentalists had claimed was going at a very slow pace. Officials had then told mid-day that the forest patch would be handed over officially before the monsoon.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had announced in October 2020 that over 800 acres of a forest patch in Aarey Colony will be declared as a reserve forest. The decision was taken in September in the presence of Dairy Development Minister Sunil Kedar and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray. On Monday, finally, the control of 286.732 hectares or 812 acres of the notified land was handed over to the Forest Department by the Aarey Milk Colony.
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A total of 125.422 hectares in Aarey, 71.631 hectares in Goregaon and 89.679 hectares in Marol Maroshi were handed over to the Forest Department. In addition, 40.469 hectares of land in Marol Maroshi village has already been handed over to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. With the total takeover, the Forest Department can now flourish on 812 acres of land.
Suggestions and objections will be invited from the citizens regarding the reserved forest area and a final notification will be issued after the hearing. The chief minister had also directed that while deciding on the reserved forest area, the rights of the tribal community as well as other concerned people should be kept intact.
309.92
Acres of land that is in Aarey out of the total 812 acres
