SGNP to lose 468 trees to 8 projects: Green signal from wildlife board

MUMBAI: Even as stiff opposition to the cutting of over 32,000 trees for a power plant in Karjat forced the government to pause the plan, the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) bordering Mumbai and Thane will lose 468 trees to eight projects cleared by the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife on Monday

MUMBAI: Even as stiff opposition to the cutting of over 32,000 trees for a power plant in Karjat forced the government to pause the plan, the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) bordering Mumbai and Thane will lose 468 trees to eight projects cleared by the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife on Monday. These projects fall in the section of the ESZ, where construction is allowed.

Just over half these trees – 236 trees – will be axed for a private real estate project in Majiwada, Thane. Apart from those to be cut, the developer will retain 476 trees and 372 trees will be transplanted.

The wildlife board also cleared a private real estate project on Khatau Mill land in Kandivali, which will result in 228 trees being felled and 92 translocated. The board says the plot houses old chawls and needs to be redeveloped.

Also cleared on Monday was a project under the state government’s Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA). The project is located in Devipada, Borivali, in the SGNP’s ESZ. Three trees will be felled for the project.

The board also gave environmental clearance to a housing project in Kavesar in Thane, where one tree will be cut.

While clearing the project, the institute has been told to “barricade and secure the work site during the construction phase to prevent any accidents involving humans or wildlife”. It has also been told not to undertake activities such as blasting or hill cutting within the ESZ boundaries.

The board also cleared a residential-cum-commercial project in Bhayandar and a similar one in Kolshet in Thane , respectively, both in the park’s ESZ. Neither will impact tree cover.

A MHADA redevelopment project exactly on the boundary of the ESZ in Borivali was also approved. The board said these buildings were more than 35 years old and needed to be redeveloped.

These projects will require the national board for wildlife to clear them in order to proceed.

Deputy Conservator of Forests, Sachin Repal, member-secretary who oversees the ESZ committee, did not offer any comment.

Environmentalist D Stalin of NGO Vanshakti said, ``The so-called ESZ has now become a joke. It is not intended to cater to conservation but instead it is more about real estate development. Any area that is not urbanised in Mumbai is being opened up for development. Instead of expanding the conservation zone of the national park, the government is tightening the noose around the park and making it look like an open zoo.

He added, “Sadly the forest department has lost its relevance and so has the environment department. Their mandate has been rendered irrelevant. There is no justification to cover up the loss of even a single tree in Mumbai when BMC admits there is no space for compensatory afforestation in the city.’’