Navi Mumbai: Navi Mumbai environmentalists have launched a campaign ahead of the International Day of Forests, focusing on improving green cover, preventing frequent forest fires, and reassessing compensatory afforestation policies.
“Every tree counts. It’s high time we take a comprehensive look at forest management and create urban forest pockets in response to climate change,” said NatConnect Foundation, which initiated the drive along with Kharghar Hills and Wetlands and Save Belapur Hills forums.
Allegation Made By Activist Krishnan Potti
Activist Krishnan Potti alleged that forest fires are not mere accidents but appear to be deliberate acts by vested interests. Kharghar-based activist Jyoti Nadkarni noted that alert residents have raised fire alarms at least 25 times since November.
“It is highly disturbing, especially when the government talks of afforestation and improving the hill people’s economy,” she said.
Deforestation in Belapur Hills for illegal temple construction has loosened the soil, increasing landslide risks, said Himanshu Katkar of Save Belapur Hill. “Now we see frequent fires on the hills. Over the past five months, there have been at least 10 incidents reported to the fire brigade, police, and forest department,” he added.
With this year’s UN theme being ‘Forests and Food,’ NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar stressed upon the importance of sustaining forests and enhancing their food yield. He urged State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik to reconsider the flawed compensatory afforestation policy.
“Today, trees – including mangroves – are destroyed in one place, and compensatory planting is done miles away,” he said.
Nadkarni said that trees destroyed for the KhargharTurbhe road are being compensated with plantations in Uran. Activists demand that replanting be done in the same area as the destruction. They also stressed upon using only native, fruit-bearing trees in afforestation and upcoming redevelopment projects.
