Following a recent increase in leopard sightings in the Belapur and Kharghar hill areas and instances of the animals entering residential zones, Sajag Nagrik Manch, Navi Mumbai has urged authorities to create year-round water sources within forested areas to prevent human-wildlife conflict.
The citizens’ group has submitted representations to the Thane Forest Department and written to the State Forest Minister, as well as officials from CIDCO and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, calling for urgent intervention.
According to the forum, while habitat encroachment and development activities are key reasons for leopards straying into urban pockets, lack of adequate water sources in the hills is another major contributing factor. Ensuring perennial access to water within the natural habitat, they said, would reduce the movement of wildlife into human settlements.
Among its key demands, the forum has called for the creation of artificial or restored natural water bodies at Green Valley in Sector 9 and near the Waghoba Temple area in Phanaswadi. It has also raised concerns over debris dumping in the historic lake at Sector 8, alleging neglect by civic and planning authorities. Reviving the lake, the group stated, would serve as a sustainable water source for wildlife.
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Additionally, the forum suggested that making the Artist Village dam operational would not only support biodiversity but also help mitigate recurring monsoon flooding in Belapur Sectors 4, 5, and 6.
The group has requested the Forest Department to conduct a technical survey in coordination with CIDCO and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and to allocate necessary funds to implement the proposed measures at the earliest.
“Wildlife is an integral part of the ecological chain and has as much right to live as humans. The Forest Department must urgently ensure year-round drinking water facilities for wild animals and birds,” said Jui Khopkar, a bird enthusiast from Belapur.
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