MUMBAI: The state government is planning to petition the Bombay High Court for permission to undertake slum rehabilitation on portions of forest land currently occupied by slums. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated on Wednesday that any remaining land will be dedicated to forest regeneration. This statement came while he addressed queries concerning the implementation of postpaid smart meters for electricity consumption during a motion in the state legislative council.
BJP’s Pravin Darekar highlighted that numerous slum households situated between Goregaon and Dahisar, as well as in Thane, occupy forest land, including private forest areas. He noted that these households have long been deprived of essential services, such as electricity, due to restrictions on forest land. Darekar urged the government to remove the forest land designation, asserting that these areas are primarily human habitation. He also reminded Fadnavis about a previously passed resolution on this matter at the District Planning Committee.
Fadnavis acknowledged that the state government would develop a policy to request the court’s approval for slum rehabilitation on part of the forest land, with the rest being used for reforestation.
The Bombay High Court is currently reviewing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that seeks to enforce its 1997 orders aimed at clearing all slums from forest areas. There are approximately 80,000 slumdwellers occupying forest land from Goregaon to Dahisar alone. In the eastern suburbs, slums also exist on forest land in Thane, Mulund, and Bhandup.
The Chief Conservator of Sanjay Gandhi National Park recently submitted an affidavit to the High Court indicating that the Thane collector has identified ten parcels of land in the district designated for slum rehabilitation.
BJP MP Gopal Shetty has opposed the movement, advocating for the relocation of slumdwellers to a BMC PAP project on a 10-acre plot in Dahisar. Following this, Mumbai suburban MLAs passed a resolution against the proposed relocation.
