Maharashtra government declares 600 acres of Mumbai’s Aarey Milk Colony as land reserved as forest, invokes section 4 of the Indian Forest Act. By Tanvi Jain
View this post on Instagram
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray recently announced that the Aarey Milk Colony’s 600-acres of land near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park will be reserved as forest, thereby invoking section 4 of the Indian Forest Act.
“600 acres of Aarey land near Sanjay Gandhi National Park will be reserved as forests. This will be the first instance of an extensive forest blossoming within the limits of a metropolis anywhere in the world,” CMO Maharashtra quoted Thackeray in a tweet.
“This will be the first time in the world that such a vast forest has blossomed in the heart of a metropolis. The Chief Minister directed that while deciding the reserved forest area, the rightful rights of the tribal community, as well as other concerned, should be kept intact.” the tweet added.
View this post on Instagram
However, this area will not include the land on which the 33.5-kilometre-long underground Colaba–Bandra–Seepz Metro Line 1 corridor’s car shed is to come up.
As per IFA’s section 4, now the government will have to appoint a forest settlement officer (FSO), who will inquire into and decide upon who to give the rights on the land and up to what extent, after taking suggestions from the residents.
“Approx. 600 acres of open land being declared as forest while all rights of Adivasi communities will stand protected. Rehabilitation of slums within the area would be expedited. This would be phase 1 for which the Forest Dept will move a proposal. Phase 2 survey for additional open/forest land in Aarey, post Phase 1 will begin soon. This would help the state protect the flora & fauna existent in SGNP and Aarey,” Maharashtra Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray tweeted.
View this post on Instagram
The eco-sensitive zone is reportedly home to over 10,000 people who live in 27 Adivasi hamlets.
The above-mentioned decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Uddhav Thackeray, which as per PTI, was also attended by Aaditya Thackeray, Forest Minister Sanjay Rathod, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde and Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar.
Related: Aarey Colony Trees Make Way For Mumbai Metro
