10 June,2021 05:54 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet Jadhav
The Aarey land has now got the status of a reserved forest. File pic/Satej Shinde
Entrusted with the protection of Aarey Milk Colony, forest officials will soon start guarding the green patch. The area was under the control of the dairy development department until recently and its flora and fauna constantly faced threats from the land mafia.
"Now that 812 acres of Aarey land have been handed over to the forest department, a survey will be conducted soon. We will also start patrolling the area for better protection," said Range Forest Officer Dinesh Desale.
Sources said a request by the Sanjay Gandhi National Park for staff to man the Aarey forest has already been accepted by higher authorities. The forest department has also identified a couple of structures inside the green zone to start an office.
On Monday, SGNP got possession of 812 acres of forested patch inside Aarey. The formal handover, which gives the area the status of a reserved forest, took place in the presence of Aarey's newly appointed CEO, Desale and other forest officials.
Environmentalists had long been demanding the transfer of Aarey land to the forest department citing rampant encroachment and destruction of green cover. They had urged the government to complete the handover before the monsoon.
