City-based environmentalist Stalin D has alleged that illegal construction of sheds at Royal Palms, located within the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), has led to widespread environmental destruction. Despite raising complaints for over three years, he claims that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the ESZ Monitoring Committee have failed to take any action.
Stalin D, who represents the NGO Vanashakti, told mid-day that he had first lodged a complaint in February 2022. He had written to the municipal corporation, SGNP director, environment secretary, Mumbai Suburban collector, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), reporting activities such as tree falling, vegetation clearance, and other environmentally damaging work in the Royal Palms area of Goregaon East, located within Aarey Milk Colony.
On Thursday, Stalin revisited the site and reiterated that no action had been taken on his previous complaints, even after more than three years. In the 2022 complaint, he had stated that a large patch of land near the Ruby Isle building in Royal Palms had been cleared and a massive shed constructed. He further alleged that the site is being used for film shoots — activities that require prior approval from the ESZ Monitoring Committee, which, according to him, was never obtained.
“Over the past three years, we’ve been raising concerns about the construction of large sheds and film studios inside Royal Palms township,” said Stalin D. “Hundreds of trucks, vanity vans, glaring lights, and continuous noise through the night have become a major disturbance. Wildlife is being severely impacted. The forest department, which is part of the ESZ committee, has the authority to act, yet no action has been taken. We even objected to the use of Aarey roads for these activities, but the Aarey administration has also turned a blind eye, for reasons not hard to guess.” Stalin further claimed that his earlier complaints were simply forwarded by the municipal commissioner to junior officials, who allegedly ignored the matter despite understanding its seriousness.
“Today, the number of sheds has increased, and large forest patches have been cleared, filled, and built upon. A review of time-series satellite imagery shows that approximately 2.5 hectares of land have been completely destroyed. We urge the ESZ Monitoring Committee, municipal corporation, MPCB, and Forest Department to take immediate action against those responsible and initiate steps to restore the land. To the best of our knowledge, none of the constructions on this plot have legal approval and must be demolished. An inquiry should be conducted to identify those responsible for allowing this destruction to escalate. We also request a response specifying what action has been taken beyond the routine forwarding of our earlier complaints,” Stalin added.
