4 Mega Projects to Engulf 1.8k Ha Forest, 400k Trees Across Maha

A new dam to meet Mumbai's rising water needs, two mining projects, and a road to service power lines are set to claim 1,800 hectares of forest across Maharashtra, large swathes of it slicing through wildlife habitats including the tiger corridor of the Tadoba Andhari Reserve.

- Yogesh Naik

MUMBAI: A staggering 400,000 trees will also be axed.

All four mega-projects were given the green signal by the State Board of Wildlife (SBWL) on Thursday at a meeting chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Clearance by the board was critical, given the potential destruction to sensitive habitats and delicate ecosystems. The proposals will be forwarded to the National Wildlife Board for its consideration.

Among the projects cleared by the SBWL is the Gargai dam, which will supply 450 million liters of water per day (MLD) to Mumbai. While it will significantly augment Mumbai's water supply, currently 4,000 MLD, the project will require more than 300,000 trees to be axed. It will also swallow a whopping 845 hectares of forest land—652.21 hectares in the Tansa wildlife sanctuary alone, and 167.63 hectares of surrounding land, in Thane and Palghar districts. According to information placed before the SBWL at Thursday's meeting, an additional 5.7 hectares of land in the Jawahar forest division, and 19.29 hectares from surrounding areas will also be allocated for the project. Six villages will have to be rehabilitated.