Process to hand over land at Salim Ali Park yet to begin

PUNE Three months after Maharashtra’s minister of environment and tourism Aaditya Thackeray asked for land to be acquired by the forest department at the Salim Ali Biodiversity Park, the process is yet to commence.

Thackeray during his visit to the park on February 13 this year had said a decision has been taken to hand over some parts of the land not under litigation to the forest department for preservation as an unreserved forest area. He also had reviewed the PMC’s effort to remove debris from the area

Kunal Khemnar, additional municipal commissioner (estate) at PMC, who coordinates the issue, said, “All construction and debris materials have been removed. The encroachments have also been mostly cleared.”

The 22-acre Salim Ali Biodiversity Park is situated along the Mula-Mutha river in Yerawada and is a paradise both for bird watchers and nature lovers as it attracts 130 different species of birds. The land dispute at the park has been going on for a long time now. One part of the land is under a private dispute. The other part of the land is under the revenue department.

“The activists are demanding both the areas to be handed over to the forest department for the preservation of biodiversity but no decision has been taken yet on the issue,” said Khemnar.

Rahul Patil, deputy conservator of forest, Pune division, said, “One part of the land should have come to the forest department a long time ago, but it is still stuck with the revenue department. The handing over process to the PMC and then to the forest department will be done soon.”

For years, the environmental activists in Pune have agitated against the disposal of construction debris in the area of the sanctuary.

“There has been depletion of migratory and rare birds in the region because of this debris. The negative impact on the area’s biodiversity is huge,” said Meghna Bhaphna, a volunteer of the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary Action Committee.

In a meeting that took place early this year, it was decided that the debris would be lifted, police patrolling of the area would be initiated, security personnel to guard the area would be appointed, and fencing would be put around the green areas.

Bhaphna claimed, “No such steps have been taken yet. There is a case of encroachment also going on in the area. A case has also been made against the person who dumped debris in the area but no action has been taken till now. The land near the river has been encroached and filled with debris.”