A group of Yeoor villagers and local NGOs staged a protest against vehicles entering the forest and the alleged night drinking parties taking place in Yeoor jungle after 7 PM. Despite a ban imposed by the Bombay High Court, such activities reportedly continue, local activists have alleged.
Villagers, local activists, and environmentalists staged the protest at the Yeoor jungle gate on Saturday. The primary demands were a complete ban on vehicles and action against the alleged parties being held inside the forest, which is designated as an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ).
Earlier, the forest department had decided to shut the gates of Yeoor forest at 7 PM every day. As per the Bombay High Court order, only essential services personnel, tribal residents, and Air Force officials are allowed entry after the gates are closed.
A local activist said, “A large number of illegal hotels and bungalows have come up inside the forest. The number of people coming from various parts of Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Thane, and nearby areas has surged. Parties are held in bungalows and hotels till late at night. Despite Yeoor being declared an ESZ, no action has been taken by the authorities, and villagers are frustrated.”
As per the court order, entry into Yeoor is restricted to the general public from sunset to sunrise. Yet, people are often seen in the area until 3 AM.
Mayur Survase, the Range Forest Officer of Yeoor, said, “Heavy security has been deployed, and Air Force officials have also visited due to recent national security concerns. Some NGOs and villagers staged protests after a rape incident that occurred recently, demanding strict enforcement of the entry ban after 7 PM. We assured them that no unauthorized person would be allowed inside Yeoor, with exceptions only for villagers and essential service workers. Following this assurance, the protest was called off.”
It is notable that two individuals have been arrested for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman in Yeoor recently. In response, a social activist staged a protest, holding a placard that read, “Stop Atrocities on Women.”
