Tree felling for Torrent project in Bhimashankar drives nilgai into Wave village paddy fields

Large-scale tree felling has been carried out for the Torrent project in the Bhimashankar sanctuary and surrounding forest in Karjat taluka. With the trees gone, animals and birds are losing their habitat and have started looking for forest elsewhere. A nilgai and its calf were seen within the limits of Wave village, near the Ulhas river, a sign of this effect. Local residents are angry.

Birds and animals have begun leaving the Bhimashankar sanctuary because of the ongoing felling. With the trees finished, they are searching for new homes. So far only 5,000 trees have been cut. The question is whether birds and animals will remain here after the other 27,000 trees are felled.

There is also a dispute over the number of trees. The government is going to fell 32,480 trees, but local residents and environmentalists say that in reality three lakh trees will be cut.

Animals and birds are bearing the brunt of the felling. In many places animals are moving to areas with good forest and forest wealth. One nilgai reached the Ulhas river area, 20 kilometres from the forest cleared for the Torrent dam. In the evening, the nilgai and its calf were seen within the limits of Wave village.

When the nilgai was spotted in Bhane's field, many people were watching to make sure it did not enter their fields and ruin the paddy crop. But at night the nilgai entered a paddy field and damaged it. Farmers then searched for the nilgai through the night.

Meanwhile, many animals like the nilgai have come out of the Pali Sydongar forest, which has greatly worried animal lovers. The effect of the felling is not limited to animals; other people are seeing an equally serious impact.