Twitter
Advertisement

Is Aarey part of Sanjay Gandhi National Park? NGO affidavit causes a tremor

Affidavit on Aarey Colony says it is an integral part of Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

In a complete twist to the ongoing battle to save Aarey Colony from projects threatening its greenery, NGO Vanashakti submitted an affidavit to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday, saying that Aarey was an integral part of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).

The affidavit has records procured under the Right To Information (RTI) Act and reveals that 2076.073 hectares of Aarey Milk Scheme (as it was known then) was transferred by the Revenue Department to the forest division in 1969.

The affidavit alleges that the Forest Department wilfully suppressed such important records of Aarey Colony to conceal that it is forest land. It said the department should now produce documents that clears the legal status of the land.

Activists alleged that this proves that some officials hand-in-gloves with vested interests allowed the plundering of one of the biggest open spaces and green lungs of Mumbai, despite it being part of a national park.

The tribunal bench of the NGT Western zone that has been hearing the petition by Vanashakti against the proposed Metro car depot and for declaring Aarey as a no-development zone stayed all construction activities of the SEEPZ-Colaba Metro III line at Aarey Colony on Friday and asked the Forest Department to produce land records during the next hearing.

"There are letters from 1980s written by then Divisional Manager, Borivli National Park, in which it has been placed on record that out of the total 2076.073 hectares of land in Aarey Colony, 575 hectares were extracted for recreational zone and the remaining 1501.073 hectares will continue to remain as part of the national park," said Biju Augustine, a member of the Aarey Conservation Group (ACG). He said that the affidavit was proof that even in 80s, the land was with the Forest Department.

Augustine said that the affidavit also puts on record another communication dated October 10, 1980, which was sent from the Thane regional office of the Forest Development Corporation (FDC) Managing Director regarding the legal status to be given to the recreational sector. "It is mentioned in the letter that considering the fact that the recreational sector is burdened with a number of rights and privileges, it will be better if the whole area is declared as protected forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927," he said. Aarey land was never notified, he said.

ACG members claimed that while it was thought that Aarey land belonged to the Dairy Department, they have admitted in RTI replies that they have no records of the same.

Environmentalists who have seen the Vanashakti affidavit claim that it points to a major scam and the judiciary needs to set up a high-powered committee to investigate why the 1,500 hectares of land that was transferred by the Revenue Department never notified the colony as part of the national park and what happened to the 576 hectares of land that was converted for recreational purposes.

Forest Department sources said that they will have to dig out land records from various offices, check old maps and even consult retired officials who served in the park around 1996 when the final notification was passed to declare 103.09 sq km as part of SGNP. "We would not like to comment on the details of records in the affidavit as of now. However, the process of looking for details of land status has already begun and will take time. But we will submit before the NGT as per its order," said a senior forest official.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement