The Aarey Dairy Development Department has transferred 812 acres of land located near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) to the State Forest Department on June 7.
This comes in the backdrop of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray saying in September last year that a 600-acre land parcel in Aarey Milk Colony will be marked as a reserve forest.
Subsequently, the State Government decided to increase the size of the reserve forest to 812 acres, a move welcomed by environmental conservation groups.
“The acquisition of the land parcel has paved the way for the expansion of vast forests in the heart of a metropolis like Mumbai,” a press release by the State Forest Department said. Possession of the land was officially handed over in the presence of the Borivali Tehsildar as well as a Malad Town Survey Officer.
Of the total area, 125.422 hectares (ha) of the total land in Aarey, 71.631 ha in Goregaon, and 89.679 ha in Marol Maroshi were handed over to the Forest Department on Monday. Around 40.469 ha of land in the Marol Maroshi village has already been transferred to SGNP authorities. The new reserve forest region will have 107 land portions from Aarey.
While announcing the move last year, CM Thackeray also stressed the importance of upholding the rights of the tribal population and other concerned parties living within the region.
Read - Environmentalists Warn Of Flood Risk Due To Landfilling Near Mithi River At Aarey
After the land is acquired by the State Forest Department, a Forest Settlement Officer (FSO) will be appointed to survey the region and pass on recommendations and/or objections regarding land rights. The FSO will have up to 45 days to complete the survey of the region.
The survey will also include the determination of the rights of any person living on the land. After the FSO concludes the survey with the recommendations, the government will have the authority to declare the land portion as a forest under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
D Stalin, an environmentalist from NGO Vanashakti, has criticized the delay in handing over the land. “Crucial time was lost in this handover. Many encroachments have come up during the last one year… Two years ago we had requested for a drone and ground survey. That was not done. Having said that, we still thank the MVA government, the CM for honouring their promise. Hopefully now the forest department will proactively conserve the forest and the wildlife in it.
Also read - Aarey Land Declared As Reserve Forest
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