Maharashtra expands protected wildlife area beyond 10000 sq km

With the addition of the state’s 50th wildlife sanctuary and 10 new conservation reserves (CR), Maharashtra has expanded its protected area network from 62 to 73 zones with over 10,000 sq km of the state now secured.

After decisions taken during the 16th State Board of Wildlife (SBWL) meeting, chaired by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday, Maharashtra would now have six national parks (1,273.56 sq km), 50 wildlife sanctuaries (6,727.9 sq km), and 17 CRs (1,498.5 sq km) spread across 10,807 sq km, one of the highest in India.

The board approved the declaration of 10 CRs - eight along western Maharashtra and two in Vidarbha, and also the declaration of 269 sq km area at Kanhargaon in Gondpipri tehsil, Chandrapur as a wildlife sanctuary.

Aaditya Thackeray, State environment and tourism minister, who was present during Friday’s meeting, said, “Decisions taken during Friday’s meeting were truly historic. In no other time has the environment and wildlife got so much importance that it has always deserved. We are committed to being a green government, and to ensure sustainable development continues.”

The 269 sq km Kanhargaon wildlife sanctuary was approved by the SBWL after a fresh examination by a six-member committee, appointed by the forest department to check the feasibility after the last SBWL meet on August 7.

The committee conducted fresh public consultations with villagers. “The issues highlighted by villagers were understood. However, the importance of protecting the area was considered. It is a very important stepping stone to forests in Telangana, and protects forest zones regularly used by tigers,” said Nitin Kakodkar, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife), Maharashtra.

The area of the proposed sanctuary falls in close proximity to a proposed 340-hectare Chandrapur greenfield airport, and if the sanctuary is declared, the airport area will fall within the eco-sensitive zone.

All non-government members of the board unanimously welcomed the decision to declare Kanhargaon a sanctuary but also called for the recently designated Tillari CR in south Konkan to also be declared a sanctuary. “Much more area needs to be protected as tigers cannot breed safely in just 29.53 sq km,” said Kishor Rithe, SBWL member.

Anish Andheria, SBWL member and president, Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), said, “It has taken almost nine years for the Kanhargaon declaration since the proposal was first considered. It was one of the most important non protected areas with good tiger numbers. We must congratulate the CM for all decisions as it is a breath of fresh air to be in a SBWL meeting where the welfare of forests and wildlife took precedence over clearances. It was a meeting for strengthening the protected area network.” WCT in 2015 had identified 10 tigers and 23 leopards at Kanhargaon based on camera trap study.

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The Maharashtra forest department had proposed the declaration of 11 CRs (five in Kolhapur, one in Sindhudurg, two at Satara, two at Nagpur, and one at Amravati) along the ghats and forest plains of the state, aiming to protect a total area of 1,076.19 sq. km.

Among those approved in western Maharashtra were Chandgad CR (225.24 sq km), Ajra-Bhudargad (246.63 sq km), Gaganbawda (105.48 sq km), Panhalgad (72.9 sq km), Vishalgad (92.24 sq km), all in Kolhapur district. At Sindhudurg, the 56.92 sq km Dodamarg-Amboli CR which connects tiger breeding areas of Karnataka’s Bhimgad Sanctuary and Goa’s Mhadei Sanctuary was approved, and Jor-Jambhali CR (65.11 sq km) and bird haven of Mayani CR (8.67 sq km) at Satara, were approved. On June 23, the state had declared 29.53 sq. km area comprising 10 villages in Dodamarg taluka, Sindhudurg district, as the Tillari CR making it the first CR in the Konkan belt. Maharashtra would now have a total of 17 CRs once they are formally declared by the state. “With these eight CRs in western Maharashtra, it builds a strip of protection right from Karnataka’s Bhimgad Sanctuary and Goa’s Mhadei Sanctuary all the way up to the buffer zone of Mahabaleshwar, making it a safe haven for wildlife movement and reduction in developmental activities,” said Kakodkar, adding that the board also approved the allocation of ₹20 crore per year for conservation and management of state CRs.

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Noted herpetologist Varad Giri said a massive portion of the Maharashtra Western Ghats stands protected after the SBWL decision. “It is remarkable,” he said.

At Nagpur however, Kakodkar said Munia (97.37 sq km) in Nagpur and Mahendri (67.48 sq km) in Amravati was approved as CRs but the board was yet to decide on Mogarkasa (37.7 sq. km) in Nagpur. “There were some issues about the area at Mogarkasa. Members felt much more area needs to be considered so it has been kept on hold. It will be proposed as a CR later on. Mahendri will be declared as a CR first. There will be a committee who will study the aspects of the area, and maybe upgrade it to the status of a sanctuary,” said Kakodkar.

Rithe, however, pointed out that regarding Mahendri, all non-official members of the board felt that it should be declared a sanctuary. “It was opposed by the PCCF (wildlife). The CM said the proposal will be reviewed and appropriate decisions would be taken,” he said.

Meanwhile, SBWL on Friday decided to form a committee (study group) to look into rising leopard deaths and kills. Between January and December, 172 leopards were killed, which is the highest in at least five years. Of these, 86 were natural deaths, 34 rail or road accidents, 25 by drowning, 17 poached, seven electrocuted, and three killed due to unknown reasons. Last year, 110 leopards were killed. At the same, there have been 24 human kills by leopards, the highest in 10 years with maximum 12 cases reported from Nashik forest circle. Additionally, in the last two years, 124 leopards have been rescued throughout the state. “This is a serious and complex issue. The study group will look into the issues involved and suggest solutions,” said Kakodkar.

Rithe said the same exercise was done and discussed before the SBWL in 2005. “It is a repetition but the department feels that it is being discussed here for the first time,” he said.

The board also decided to approve a proposal by the Thane municipal corporation for road widening across 0.6 hectares (across four small portions of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park) near Ghodbunder Road. “The proposal would need approval under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, and the conservator of forest SGNP will suggest mitigation measures for the project, which will be brought to the notice of the board during the next meeting, subject to that the project is approved,” said Kakodkar.