First and foremost, the National Park authorities should have a protective wall around the park on all sides. To have a wall on the Mulund side is not enough. Also, some restrictions have to be put on construction activities in the area adjoining the park Rampant construction of residential complexes near the forest area is one of the reasons why these animals stray into residential areas.

Vanita Nair (26)

We have to stop the construction activities near the forest as soon as possible. The sooner the authorities realise this the better, the animals do not understand that they have crossed a certain limit or boundary and that they are not supposed to walk into a residential complex. It’s us humans who have to understand that. We have to make sure we do not build buildings in the forest area. It’s the animal’s property and we are encroaching on it.

Sharad Gaikwad (51)

A protective wall around the Borivli National Park is one solution but we have to realise that we are the ones who have moved into their territory and not the other way around. These poor animals stray off into residential areas not knowing where they are and find them selves trapped all of a sudden. I’m sure they are as scared to see us as we are to see them.

Nikhil Sharma (27)

Have we realised that panthers and other wild animals are always found straying off in areas around the National Park? That, I think says it all. We have to stop entering their territory. It’s safer for us if we do not stay anywhere near the National Park area, these animals could stray off anything and attack us. We cannot do anything about the construction that has already happened, but now, we have to make it a point that no more residential complexes come up in that area. This is the only way to avoid such incidents in the future.

Manish Kotian (31)
( Compiled by Vinoda Kamath)