Forest department’s error became residents’ terror

MUMBAI: Thousands of residents around the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivli and Thane are paying for a blunder committed by the forest department of Maharashtra. The land they have their flats and bungalows on, has been “erroneously” acquired by the forest department.

When the Mantralaya mandarins understood their faux pas, it was too late. A plea filed by the government before the High Court for re-survey of the land got rejected. An embarrassed forest department then moved the Supreme Court with a review petition.

The case is pending since early ‘04 and the government of Maharashtra is not making any efforts for early settlement. Till the apex court gives its judgement, residents of this land will get no respite.

On Tuesday, Maharashtra forest minister Babanrao Pachpute said the government would request the Supreme Court for an early settlement of the case involving acquisition of 448 acres of excess land. Mr Pachpute admitted in the legislative assembly that the forest department had erroneously acquired excess land. NCP legislator Sachin Ahir raised the issue through a calling attention notice.

Mr Ahir sought rehabilitation of the people inhabiting the land acquired by the forest department. He claimed that the forest department had not only acquired land beyond permissible limits but also demolished hutments and public utilities like schools on the land..

“Due to the blunder committed by the forest department, residents of this land are living in a state of panic. The government must allay their fears and rehabilitate them immediately,” Mr Ahir demanded.