Take afforestation fee and denotify our homes, forest land residents tell state government

Prakash Paddikal, president of HRWA, said: “Awareness of the issue is increasing and we are sure that before November 20 — when we have to submit our new affidavit—nearly 90 per cent residents would have given their details to us. We have little time and this meeting’s main aim was to generate awareness about people’s status and the steps they have to take to ensure their homes are safe.”

According to the residents, the CEC, in a hearing on November 11, rejected the scheme proposed by the state government and directed the residents as well as the state to submit revised affidavits on the lines of their directives.

The state forest department, in its scheme proposed last month, pleaded that the lands put to non-forestry use before October 25, 1980 — coming under the Maharashtra Private Forest (Acquisition) Act of 1975 — and having all the approvals of the government “be treated as deleted from the category of forests”. However, the state’s application had appealed that buildings constructed after 1980 (up to 2006) should be deemed only as ‘restored land’ and afforestation charges be collected from them.

In its directives, the CEC categorically mentioned that it would formally recommend to the Supreme Court that all constructions before June 22, 2005 (the date on which the Bombay High Court had passed an order for updating of revenue records pertaining to forest lands) should be treated on par and be dereserved once and for all, on payment of afforestation charges.

Anmol Bhushan, president of PPN, said: “We are glad, we received such a huge response from the residents despite having had a short time to pass on the message. Also, all the residents at the meeting mutually agreed to pay the afforestation charges — their only contention being that their lands be dereserved once and for all. Their cooperation was heartening.”