Mumbai: Officials move against construction at Sanjay Gandhi National Park

The SGNP periphery in Kandivli East where the alleged dumping of debris is being carried out. Pic/Satej Shinde

Within 48 hours of this newspaper highlighting alleged construction in an eco-sensitive zone on the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, a top forest official has asked the park authorities to write to the civic chief for action.

On July 26, a report in mid-day said that green activist Stalin D had written to the chief minister requesting him to stop the work near Thakur Village in Kandivli East. Stalin, who is associated with NGO Vanashakti, said that the construction on a mountainside will destroy the ecology of SGNP.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Sunil Limaye said the conservator of forest-SGNP and the deputy conservator of forest-Thane will write to BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, urging him to direct civic officials to visit the area where debris is allegedly being dumped.

"I have also messaged the municipal commissioner about the issue and instructions have been given to the SGNP director to take necessary action if there is any violation," said Limaye.

In his letter to the CM, Stalin had batted for a zonal master plan and said that the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) monitoring committee should clear projects in such areas. Apart from urging the government to stop the work, Stalin had also suggested setting up a committee of experts to survey all vacant land around SGNP and spell out ways to maintain them as no-construction zones.

Also read: High-rises being built in eco-sensitive zone near Sanjay Gandhi National Park: Environmentalist

Stalin told mid-day, "On one hand the state government said that there was little space to demarcate as an ESZ so the extent was reduced. How can the government explain mammoth skyscrapers bang next to the park on green spaces? These areas must be kept in the ‘no development zone' and used exclusively for nature tourism. If left unchecked it will hamper the movement of wildlife and also create more man-animal conflicts. These spaces must be left as proper buffer zones to the park or included into it."

Stalin alleged that the eco-sensitive zone committee is just a paper body and no developer seems to care for its permission.

"Construction of townships and towers is happening inside the ESZ that too in areas contiguous with the national park. We request the Hon'ble CM to protect green spaces around the SGNP. After losing hundreds of acres of the national park to encroachment, the government should at least protect the ESZs," said Stalin, adding that no steps are being taken to maintain the status quo despite the fact that the zonal master plan is yet to be made.

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Area of SGNP in square kilometres