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Green activists and members of the tribal community residing in Film City, Goregaon East, adjacent to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), have alleged that several trees were cut and soil was dumped around them on Friday. Suvarna Padvi, a tribal resident of Morachapada in Film City, said, “A film company is setting up a studio here. We have no objection to that, but on Friday, they destroyed some trees and dumped debris, including soil. 

This area is near Morachapada, where our community cultivates crops. We have lodged a complaint with the police and Film City authorities. Private bouncers were brought in, but after our protest, the work was stopped.” A video showing earthmovers operating on the site has gone viral on social media. In the background, a voice claims the land belongs to 42 tribal families and alleges that landfilling was carried out and trees were buried with the help of private bouncers.

Tribals allege that several trees were buried under the land that was cleared in Goregaon. Pic/By Special Arrangement

Activist Sanjiv Valsan said, “There is ample evidence that trees were cut and others buried under debris using excavators. No permission was sought or granted for such large-scale ecological destruction. Male and female bouncers are being used to prevent tribals from stopping the work. Even when we called 100, the police didn’t respond. This area falls under the SGNP Eco-Sensitive Zone, and such activities require approval from the ESZ Committee, which has not been shown.”

Green activists maintain that the plot where the construction is ongoing falls within the SGNP’s Eco-Sensitive Zone, and any development here requires clearance from the ESZ Monitoring Committee.

An official from Aarey Milk Colony police station said, “We have not received any complaint regarding cutting of trees or dumping of mud surrounding the trees at Film City. As per the information that we have, permitted work on a studio is underway in Film City. The Film City owns the space [land] inside but some people claiming to be tribals came at the site and said that the land belongs to them and that they use it to cultivate vegetables.”

Green activists who claimed that trees were cut and work was done without permission were unable to provide any documents pertaining to the claims. When contacted, Film City officials and officials of the EcoSensitive Zone monitoring committee remained unavailable for comment.