Concerned by the incidents of tree felling and grazing on the over 2,800 hectares of forest land in the city, the State forest department has planned to set up a 2-metre high wall and watch towers in select forest regions as part of a Rs 5 crore pilot project funded by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). Tenders for construction of the wall are to be issued next week.
According to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the forest department and the PMC in February this year, the pilot project focuses on around 100 hectares of the Bhamburda Van Vihar-Vetal Tekdi area and another 45 hectares in the Warje forest area. Apart from demarcation and protection of the forest, steps will be taken for afforestation and soil conservation.
A total of 2,897.35 hectares of forest land lie within the jurisdiction of the PMC, including the Bhamburda Van Vihar forest range. There are many incidents of tree felling and forest fires set off by residents of neighbouring areas during the summer, besides destruction of plants and saplings by cattle.
Lack of adequate manpower is part of the problem. “For the Bhamburda forest range, there are only three officers and seven forest guards. This is for 758 hectares including areas like Bavdhan, Warje, Kothrud, Parvati and Pachgaon Parvati,” said Bhamburda Range Forest Officer Vaibhav Bhalerao.
The initiatives will be prioritised based on surveys of the forests, including their topographical features. “The first step is to regulate entry of the common public into these areas,” said Bhalerao.
This will be achieved through a two-metre concrete wall topped by one-metre barbed wire to deter miscreants. “While tenders for construction of the wall will be issued next week, the work is likely to be completed in six months,” said Assistant Deputy Conservator of Forests Ashok Pawar. To avoid inconvenience to visitors who come daily for walks, wicket gates, to be manned by forest guards, are to be set up at select points.
Watch towers will come up at specific locations and funds permitting, will be equipped with cameras to issue alerts in case of forest fires or sandalwood thefts.
Reinforcement of staff is also on the cards. “We will employ six additional home guards on a trial basis in September and October,” said Pawar.
To monitor the project, an urban joint forest management committee has been set up under the leadership of Deputy Conservator of Forests Ashok Khadse. “This is on the lines of the forest management committees set up in rural areas and comprises corporators, NGO members, Commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi and Garden Superintendent Yashwant Khaire,” said Pawar.
While the pilot project would be restricted to Bhamburda Van Vihar and Warje, the plan is to extend it to the areas of Ramtekdi, Pachgaon Parvati, and Pashan, comprising a total area of approximately 1,200 hectares.