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NIBM forest main gate lock found broken, security cabin unmanned
Pune: The 200-acre reserve forest at NIBM is in a state of neglect with the lock of main gate broken, security cabin unmanned and found open and fencing breached at various locations
Pune: The 200-acre reserve forest at NIBM is in a state of neglect with the lock of main gate broken, security cabin unmanned and found open and fencing breached at various locations.
Residents report of vandals entering the green belt, engage in binge drinking and bonfires. Some even use the space to dump waste.
An incident of fire at the grassland portion of the forest area near EDP restaurant was reported a few days ago angering residents to demand a probe into the case as they claim that such happenings are taking place often.
The gates of the forest area are located near the connecting road to Dorabjee Heritage Mall and opposite to Anand Van forest reserve in Kondhwa.
A spot visit revealed that the lock of the gate near Dorabjee Heritage Mall was broken and the security cabin door unmanned and open. The cabin’s nearby area was littered with liquor bottles, plastic garbage and remains of burnt wood.
“The private security guard posted here is missing since one month. There is no police patrolling and the forest department is least bothered about protecting the green space,” said Ashutosh Kumar, who is regular at the hill in the evenings.
Green activist Praveen Kumar Anand said, “We have been requesting the state government to hand over this forest land to us for conservation and due care will be taken to protect and preserve the reserve forest.”
Kumar, who heads Anandvan Forest Trust, an NGO that carries out plantation and other conservation works at Anand Van forest reserve, said Mohammadwadi and NIBM forests have long been neglected. “We have demanded that the 100 acres of reserve forest lying unused and abandoned behind DPS school must be transformed into urban forest. Also, 11 acres of reserve forest in Krushnagar must be immediately handed over for developing an urban forest park. Currently these areas are neglected and occupied by hooligans.”
Daljeet Goraya, secretary, Ganga Kingston Society secretary, said, “The forest has to be protected, walled and put under CCTV camera surveillance.”
Rahul Patil, deputy conservator of forests, Pune, did not respond to queries and calls on the matter.
