Following orders from the Bombay High Court regarding a writ petition on encroachments in Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), the park authorities have served notices to around 5000 encroachers living on forest land. Those who have received notices have been asked to provide proof of ownership documents related to their houses. If they fail to do so, they must remove their illegal structures by February 15, failing which the authorities will take action.

A forest department official said, “The Bombay High Court, in a writ petition (1995) and a Public Interest Litigation (2023), passed an order on January 14 this year to remove unauthorised encroachments in the SGNP forest area. Based on this, we have issued notices to over 5000 unauthorised encroachers in the Malad beat under the Krishnagiri Upvan range of SGNP. We have asked them to provide evidence related to their houses and submit a written reply along with copies of relevant documents.”