Wildlife board clears eight projects in Sanjay Gandhi park eco-zone, 468 trees to be felled

The Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife has approved eight projects in the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which adjoins Mumbai and Thane. A total of 468 trees will be felled for these projects.

Earlier, a proposal to cut more than 32,000 trees for a power project in Karjat had drawn sharp opposition, after which the government put that proposal on hold for now. In the eco-sensitive zone of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, however, tree felling for development works has now been cleared.

The largest number, 236 trees, will be cut for a private real estate project at Majiwada in Thane. In the same project, 476 trees will be retained as they are and 372 trees will be transplanted.

A private redevelopment project is planned at the site of the Khatau Mill in Kandivali. For it, 228 trees will be cut and 92 trees transplanted. The board has said there are old chawls at the site, so their redevelopment is necessary.

Three trees will be cut for a Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project at Devipada in Borivali. One tree will be felled for a residential project at Kavesar in Thane.

The board has also approved the redevelopment project of IIM Mumbai near Vihar lake. The renovation of the institute, only 530 metres from the national park boundary, will cost Rs 306 crore.

To ensure that human and wildlife lives are not endangered during construction, directions have been issued to secure the work site with safety barricades. Activities such as blasting or cutting hillsides in the eco-sensitive zone have been prohibited.

A residential and commercial project in Bhayandar and a project at Kolshet in Thane have also been approved. It has been stated that neither project will affect tree cover.

A MHADA redevelopment project in Borivali, on the edge of the eco-sensitive zone, has also been approved. The board has clarified that the buildings concerned are more than 35 years old, so their redevelopment is necessary.

However, these projects will also need the approval of the National Board for Wildlife before they can proceed.

D. Stalin, an environmentalist and representative of the organisation Vanashakti, has questioned the decision. He said, "The concept of the eco-sensitive zone has now become a joke. The purpose of this zone is to protect the environment, but in reality real estate development is being given preference."

Stalin alleged that the way is being opened for development in every part of Mumbai that has not been urbanised. According to him, instead of enlarging the protected area of the national park, a noose of development is being tightened around it.

Stalin also said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has itself admitted that there is not enough space in the city for compensatory tree planting. In such a situation, felling even a single tree in Mumbai cannot be justified, he said.