Tense scenes in SGNP as demolition drive triggers massive pushback

On Tuesday morning hundreds of people including men and women gathered inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park SGNP to oppose the demolition drive leading to tense scenes in the protected area The demolition drive sparked strong resistance from residents which they claim have been their homes for generations The protesters alleged that the move violates their traditional rights and ignores protections under the Forest Rights Act FRAThe residents condemned the administrationrsquos action of issuing eviction notices during a holiday period leaving them little time to respond or seek legal remediesWhy the demolition drive in SGNP sparked protestsThe forest department launched the drive targeting families in the Navapada area of SGNP previously resettled at Chandivali in Powai under a rehabilitation programme Officials allege that some beneficiaries sold or rented out their allotted homes and later reoccupied forest land inside SGNPForest officials maintain that the action is part of legal measures to reclaim protected land They cite violations by some families of the rehabilitation conditionsResidents claim the demolition affects longstanding local communitiesTensions escalated but no violence has been reported so farActivists question eviction and rehabilitation process Activist Aslam Shaikh said that Adivasi communities are an integral part of SGNP having lived in the area for decades with a traditional ecosystembased lifestyle deeply intertwined with the forest He questioned whether the government while planning to relocate the Adivasis also intends to relocate their entire ecosystem asserting that the communities cannot be separated from their natural surroundingsShaikh alleged that decisionmakers lack an understanding of the Adivasi way of life and are unwilling to engage meaningfully with the community Raising concerns over rehabilitation he said there has been no proper research on how the Adivasi population will be resettled He claimed that no comprehensive survey has been conducted noting that only a small number of families have accepted rehabilitation housing in Chandivali while residents from more than 10 padas are still awaiting accommodation Despite this Shaikh alleged that the government is attempting to evict all Adivasi residents from the national parkActivist flags legal and procedural lapsesAarey activist Amrita Bhattacharjee told MidDay that the dispute dates back to 1995 when a petition led to a court order directing the removal of what were termed illegal encroachments She alleged that during that period some Adivasi families were compelled to accept rehabilitation flats in ChandivaliBhattacharjee pointed out that the original order predates the Forest Rights Act 2006 which became applicable to forest areas under municipal corporations in 2015 She said tribal communities should not be treated as encroachers and relocated to slum rehabilitation buildings without due process under the FRAShe also questioned the role of the Tribal Development Department and its project office in Borivali stating that the authorities should have conducted awareness programmes and facilitated the filing of forest rights claims Notices were served on January 22 asking residents to submit documentary proof by January 24 following which announcements were made that demolitions would begin from January 27 Bhattacharjee saidBhattacharjee claimed that notices were issued to 10 out of 11 Adivasi padas in the area affecting around 350 families The residents alleged that entire families were deemed ineligible for protection because one member had accepted rehabilitation decades ago she saidSGNP gates closed temporarily amid tensionAmid heightened tension in the area the SGNP administration announced that the parkrsquos main entrance would remain closed to tourists and the general public on Tuesday January 27ldquoAll concerned are hereby informed that today on Tuesday 27012026 the main entrance of Sanjay Gandhi National Park will remain closed for tourists and the general publicrdquo said an official notice issued by the Deputy Director South SGNP requesting cooperation from citizensAccording to forest department sources the demolition drive was halted by afternoonSGNP Director issues clarification on eviction driveThe Conservator of Forests and Director Sanjay Gandhi National Park Borivali issued a detailed statement seeking to address what the administration termed ldquomisconceptionsrdquo surrounding the eviction driveThe statement stated that in 1997 the Bombay High Court directed the removal of all encroachments on forest land within SGNP and laid down specific eligibility criteria for rehabilitation Only those residing within the protected area and whose names appeared on the electoral roll as of January 1 1995 were deemed eligibleUnder Phase I of the rehabilitation programme more than 11000 eligible families were allotted tenements at Chandivali Powai However 299 families could not be rehabilitated due to a shortage of constructed tenements and were earmarked for Phase IIHighPowered Committee and reencroachment findingsAs the 1997 court directions were not fully complied with a contempt petition was filed and remains pending The High Court subsequently constituted a HighPowered Committee to oversee compliance and recommend measures to protect SGNPThe committee comprises former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale former Maharashtra Chief Secretary Nitin Kareer former Maharashtra Director General of Police Subodh Kumar Jaiswal and SGNP Director Anitta Patil as Member SecretaryDuring consultations with various government agencies and stakeholders the committee found that around 385 families who had already received rehabilitation at Chandivali had allegedly reencroached upon forest land within SGNPThe administration said such actions amounted to misuse of the rehabilitation scheme and that their eviction was ordered as a first step toward ensuring rehabilitation for other eligible families still awaiting allotmentNotices issued after the enquiry says the administrationAccording to the statement SGNP authorities conducted detailed enquiries and provided hearings to the concerned families before identifying those who had allegedly reencroached after rehabilitation Eviction notices were published at relevant locations on January 17 2026 asking occupants to vacate voluntarilyThe administration stressed that unless such families are evicted other eligible beneficiaries would continue to be deprived of rehabilitation benefits envisioned under the 1997 court orderTribal status claim rejected by SGNP authoritiesThe SGNP administration rejected claims that the eviction drive targets tribal communities calling such arguments untenable The statement cited a Bombay High Court judgment in Manik Rama Sapte vs State of Maharashtra which held that original tribal inhabitants of the forest area were rehabilitated to Palghar in 1977 and that no original Adivasi population remains within SGNPThe administration maintained that the current occupants are governed by the 1997 High Court order which has attained finalityStating that the eviction drive is mandatory to uphold the rule of law protect forest land and ensure equitable rehabilitation the SGNP administration appealed for public supportThe statement urged stakeholders to cooperate in safeguarding the forest ecosystem of the park and ensuring that eligible families awaiting rehabilitation receive their due benefits in accordance with court ordersWhat politicians have saidAn NCP SP spokesperson in a post on X raised concerns over the ongoing actions inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park alleging that Adivasi padas are being demolished without proper surveys or verification under the Forest Rights Act FRA The spokesperson claimed that basic services such as electricity and transport have been cut children have been forced out of school and families who have lived in the area for generations are being labelled as encroachers Calling the actions ldquodisplacement without due processrdquo the post warned that if demolitions continue without adherence to the law affected residents would be compelled to intensify democratic protests and seek legal remediesWhatrsquos happening inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park needs to be on recordAdivasi padas are being demolished without surveys without Forest Rights Act verification and with basic services cut Families whorsquove lived here for generations are being labelled encroachers Childrenhellip pictwittercom9gULnm4At3mdash Anish Gawande anishgawande January 27 2026In a separate post the spokesperson said he had written to the Forest Minister urging an immediate halt to what he described as illegal evictions of Adivasi padas inside the national park without FRA verification He reiterated that continued demolitions would leave no option but to escalate protests and pursue legal actionAAP Mumbai working president Ruben Mascarenhas also expressed concern in a post on X alleging that Adivasi communitiesmdashwhom he described as Mumbairsquos indigenous peoplemdashare being unlawfully displaced from their padas within Sanjay Gandhi National Park and that their homes are being demolished He said attempts to visit the padas along with AAP Mumbai leaders to move the court were hindered describing the situation as chaotic According to Mascarenhas the area has been barricaded water and electricity supplies disconnected and public transport suspended He termed these actions a gross violation of the Forest Rights Act 2006 and the principles of natural justice asserting that Adivasis are the cityrsquos original inhabitants and not encroachers and called for an immediate halt to the demolitionsURGENT Adivasis Mumbairsquos indigenous people are being wrongly displaced from their Padas inside SGNP their houses are being DEMOLISHEDTried visiting the padas with AAPMumbai leaders to move court Situation is chaotic SGNP has been barricaded water supply andhellip pictwittercomWI3MfSCDZcmdash Ruben Mascarenhas rubenmasc January 27 2026