Cars with blaring music systems and high beams not only accidentally kill animals but also disturb those who move in search of prey after sunset inside the park.
Cars with blaring music systems and high beams not only accidentally kill animals but also disturb those who move in search of prey after sunset inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park, stated the conservator of forest in his affidavit while opposing a plea made by Club Exotica.
The club moved the Bombay High Court seeking directions to the forest department to allow club patrons into Yeoor Hills after sunset.
The affidavit, filed by Sunil Limaye, states: “It is not an exotic club (Club Exotica) which has only 50 to 60 life members, but it has a restaurant so those who are not members of the club also visit the place, causing a lot of disturbance to the wild life movement.”
Club Exotica is located in Yeoor village in Thane district on the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The club has a bar and a restaurant which are functional up to midnight and 1.30am, respectively.
The petition further states that Yeoor village is under the Thane municipal corporation and is not part of forest land. Moreover, the club has been regularly paying all the necessary taxes to the authorities and thus there is no reason why patrons are currently being stopped at Madhubhan gate.
The affidavit states: “Human movement in and around the forest directly interferes with the movement of animals and disturbs their natural cycles of feeding, reproduction and plant propagation.
Therefore it is desirable to keep disturbance to the minimal.” The conservator also stated that due to urbanisation enveloping SGNP, pollution is already taking its toll on animals, leading to reduced fertility, shortage of natural prey and increase in man-mammal conflict.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and justice Roshan Dalvi, on the request of the petitioner, adjourned the hearing for a week.
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