MUMBAI: Maharashtra forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has unilaterally permitted the diversion of 1.7 acres (0.69 hectares) of Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary to the Balayogi Shree Sadanand Maharaj Ashram regardless of opposition from members of the State Wildlife Board, together with the principal chief conservator of forests Shomita Biswas, studies Clara Lewis.
A State Wildlife Board assembly known as with solely a 24-hour discover to panel members passed off on Wednesday with out the circulation of the agenda copy, which was supplied to the members on the assembly, mentioned sources.
When Biswas and an unbiased member raised considerations in regards to the proposal being sub judice and unlawful, Mungantiwar mentioned that the choice had already been made by the chief minister and couldn’t be scrapped.
The matter is at the moment pending earlier than the SC, which is but to rule on a evaluate petition in opposition to its earlier order to demolish buildings constructed by the ashram inside the wildlife sanctuary.
In March final 12 months, CM Eknath Shinde had instructed the forest division to submit a proposal with constructive suggestions to the Centre & Nationwide Wildlife Board, guaranteeing compliance with SC judgments, to switch the land owned by the ashram for exclusion from the sanctuary.
