When the then Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government announced, in 2020, its intention to declare the patch a reserve forest, city-based nature lovers and environmentalists praised the move. However, at the same time, they said that in order to prevent encroachment, the forest department should increase patrolling in the area. 

Time and again, this newspaper has also been highlighting how illegal encroachments pose a threat to the forest cover. 

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To settle claims on the reserve forest, the forest department had begun a survey in the area.

In total, the department has received about 550 claims from people who are utilising different parts of the forest for various purposes. The majority of them, who are tribals residing in the colony, use the land to grow crops or cut down trees for wood. 

Some of the land may be excluded from the final notice of the declaration of reserve forest under Section 20 of the Forest Act once these claims are resolved. Those whose claims were denied may appeal to the Mumbai Suburban collector.

The procedure for designating a specific area as a reserve forest begins with a notification under Section 4 of the Act, which is followed by the procedure for settling the claims that other parties may have to the property under Sections 6 to 19 of the Act.

550
No. of claims received by forest dept