Forest Department Proposes Conservation Tag For 1835 Hectares Across Maharashtra
The Maharashtra State Forest Department has proposed designating more than 1,835 hectares of ecologically sensitive land across 20 locations, including DPS Lake in Navi Mumbai, Lonavala, and Alibag, as conservation reserves. The initiative aims to strengthen protections for the state's diverse flora and fauna by safeguarding critical habitats and wildlife corridors.
The proposed conservation reserves span across several regions, including Gaganbawda, Ajara-Bhudargad, Taharabad, Velhe-Mulshi, Naneghat, Bhorgirigad, Dindori, Surgana, Kareghat, Chinchpada, Ghera-Manikgad, Rajmachi, Gumtara, Jawhar, Dhamani, Asherigad, and Ekara.
Unlike national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, which receive the highest level of legal protection, conservation reserves are government-owned areas. They typically serve as wildlife corridors or buffer zones that connect existing protected forests. These zones are established to protect important landscapes while allowing local communities to sustainably use natural resources after proper consultation.
According to forest officials, the proposal has been discussed multiple times during meetings of the Standing Committee of the State Wildlife Board. The move has received recommendations from several prominent scientific and conservation institutions, including the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Despite this scientific backing, several of the proposals have faced significant resistance due to concerns over infrastructure projects, tourism, and real estate development.
A key example of this opposition is the proposal for DPS Lake in Navi Mumbai. Kishor Rithe, director of the BNHS and a member of the State Wildlife Board, stated that he requested forest minister Ganesh Naik and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to declare the lake a conservation reserve to protect visiting flamingos. Although both agreed, an official order has not yet been issued.
Forest department officials revealed that the DPS Lake proposal is currently stalled due to objections from the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco). The agency, which is associated with the Navi Mumbai International Airport project, argued that granting stronger protection to the flamingo habitat could create operational challenges for flights from the upcoming airport.
Rithe noted that the state made the most progress in notifying conservation reserves during the tenure of former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, when Clement Ben was serving as the additional principal chief conservator of forests in Mumbai.
