Says, N. M. N. Shaikh Deptur Director of Social Forestry; “Thane District has 21% of geographical area under forest. The rest is non- forest area. The present status of the forests is under tremendous pressure by human and cattle population, with greenery disappearing faster than it can grow. The Social Forestry Division which was set up in 1982, tackles land which the forest departments do not.”

He adds, “Approximately 15 villages around Thane, Mumbra and Kalwa, are supplied with 60,000 varied seedling from their nursery located at Shilphata. These seedlings are for the growth of popular species like Teak, Peltophorum, Rain tree, Accassia, Suru, Chinch, Kaju, Papaya, Khair, Karanji, Jambul, Kashid, Moha, Eucalyptus, Gulmohar, and Sitaphal.”

He affirms, “These trees which are planted by the local villagers are on lands that are available from govt. wastelands and Gram Panchavat wastelands that are lying eroded. In addition to these, common and private wastelands are also taken for this purpose.”

Shaikh adds, “The main thrust of this exercise is to make the local villagers aware of the destruction of the forest which is ultimately going to rebound on them. By the conservation of the current forests, and creating new forests from available wastelands will not only help the local village but the surrounding areas as well. It will ultimately help in the improvement of the environment.”

By paying attention to the hazards of environmental damage, the locals actually manage to arrest the deforestation and the degradation of the environment, while also meeting their day to day needs without resorting to the denudation of existing forests. “Every year we select about 50 to 100 villagers who are landless, below the poverty line and other such people who meet our criteria and give them financial assistance along with technical know how and help them to raise seedling on their own. The ones who do well are recognized by the state and the central governments and are given awards. This also acts as an incentive to others who, after seeing other individuals who had nothing, now doing well, being financially well off” says, Shaikh.

Fifty eight per sent of Maharashtra’s population lives in villages. Barren hilltops are subject to severe soil and water erosion. By creating greenery out of wastelands, the fuel and fodder requirement of the villages and their livestock will be made available from these areas.

Mr. Dheikh concludes, “This will help restore the ecological balance to a great extant, and will have a positive effect on the well being of the local villager who resides in and around the forest area. This forestation will also result in seeing animals that normally abound in greenery, romp with nature once again. The forestation will see the return of nature to its full potential with greenery and appropriate birds.”

“Further plans are at a standstill as it is becoming difficult day by day to bring degraded private revenue and community land under forestation because of industrialization, and the availability of labour required for running a forest also poses a problem. Among the other problems faced are the hazardous effluents discharged out by various industries, and the dumping grounds being created for the banned plastic bags are making the rest of the available lands toxic and difficult for raising tree cover.” Says Shaikh, sadly.