Pune: Union Ministry Seeks Action Report On Encroachments In Reserved Forest Areas Of Mohammadwadi And Kondhwa

Kondhwa, 27th August 2024: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has directed the Maharashtra forest department to submit a detailed action report regarding encroachments, reduction in tree cover, and land leveling activities in the reserved forest areas of Mohammadwadi and Kondhwa in Pune.

In a letter dated August 23, Vinod Kumar, Assistant Commissioner (Forestry) of MoEFCC, instructed the state’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests to conduct an environmental impact assessment and provide a damage report for the affected areas.

This directive follows a complaint lodged by Jaymala Dhankikar, a social worker from NIBM Annexe, who raised concerns on August 8 about the deteriorating biodiversity and shrinking green cover in these regions. Dhankikar highlighted the alarming rate at which the natural environment has been compromised. “Over the past two decades, there has been significant environmental destruction in the Mohammadwadi and Kondhwa reserved forests. Rampant tree cutting and hilltop flattening for commercial and residential developments have severely impacted the ecosystem. Much of the land and hills have been taken over by land mafias, and trees have been indiscriminately felled,” she remarked.

A Pune division forest official elaborated on the historical context, noting that land initially transferred by the forest department to the revenue department has, over the years, been allocated to the municipal corporation and local gram panchayats. “Since 1978, a considerable portion of land that was supposed to be used for plantation by the municipal corporation has been encroached upon, with some individuals even constructing permanent structures. With the introduction of new policies post-1988, the forest department has been working to reclaim this land,” the official explained.

Pune Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mahadev Mohite, addressed the issue, stating, “There has been no significant construction or land leveling within the reserved forest areas. If any such activities occurred, they were minimal and dealt with promptly. We believe that much of the land referenced in the complaint might now fall under private ownership or belong to the municipal corporation. We are awaiting further instructions from our head office before proceeding with any investigations.”