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Maharashtra

Maharashtra gets 12 new wildlife reserves, 3 sanctuaries

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In a significant move, Maharashtra on Monday announced 12 new wildlife conservation areas spread across 693 square km and three new sanctuaries including an expanded Lonar Sanctuary in Buldhana.

The decisions were taken at the State Wildlife Board’s 18th meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and it also approved setting up the Jayakwadi Bird Sanctuary in Aurangabad for which a proposal will be submitted to the National Wildlife Board.

The state has notified 15 conservation reserve areas, out of which 8 areas have been approved in the last two years alone and Thackeray expressed satisfaction over the addition of the 12 new conservation areas today.

These are: two in Dhule district at Chivatibawri (66.04 square km), Aladari (100.56 square km), four in Nashik district at Kalvan (84.12 square km), Muragad (42.87 square km), Trimbakeshwar (96.97 square km), Igatpuri (88.499 square km), two in Raigad district at Raigad (47.62 square km) and Roha (27.30 square km), Pune district’s Bhor (28.44 square km), Satara district’s Dare-Khurd for butterflies (1.07 square km), Kolhapur district’s Masai Plateau (5.34 square km) and Nagpur district’s Mogarkasa (103.92 square km).

The SWB also approved the proposal to declare Kolamarka, Muktai Bhavani and extended Lonar as wildlife sanctuaries in the state.

Besides, 10 spots have been designated as ‘endangered wildlife habitats’ in different parts of Maharashtra.

They include: Mayureshwar-Supe (5.15 square km), Bor (62 square km), Navin Bor (61 square km), extended Bor (16 square km), Narnala (12 square km.), Lonar (3.65 square km), Gugamal National Park (361 square km), Yedshi Ramalingaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (22.37 square km), Naigaon-Mayur Wildlife Sanctuary (30 square km) and the tiniest one, Deulgaon-Rehekuri Antelope Sanctuary (2.17 square km).

On the occasion, the CM directed the officials concerned to conduct a study and find out a permanent solution to the problems of wild elephants rampaging in Dodamarg region of Sindhudurg district within two months.

The plans include closing the entry of elephants at Ajra, Chandgad and Tilari areas and providing enhanced compensation to the villagers affected due to the damage caused to their farms and properties due to the elephants herds.

Discuss the rehabilitation of villagers in the forest area and the compensation to be given to them with confidence, he said.

Urging for priority to wildlife conservation efforts, Thackeray urged the officials to take the people affected by including the rehabilitation of the forest dwellers into confidence for its success.

He also asked them to consider all aspects before proposing development works in forests and clear all levels including the SWB before implementing them.

Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray said that care should be taken not to disturb wildlife paths, particularly in sensitive areas with tigers, while granting approval to road development works through jungles, and holding discussions with all stakeholders, experts and local NGOs.

disaster

Mumbai’s Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sudhakar Pathare, who was posted in the Port Zone, passed away in a road accident on Saturday.

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Pathare had visited Hyderabad for training. He was on his way to visit a temple with a relative when the accident occurred. Both Pathare and his relative lost their lives in the crash.

Mumbai Police have been informed about the incident.

More details are awaited.

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Maharashtra

Order to demolish the tomb of Hazrat Syed Bale Shah Baba in Mira Bhayander

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Mumbai: The state government has issued an order to demolish the four hundred year old dargah of Hazrat Syed Bale Shah Peer Rahmatullah Alaih located in Mira Bhayander. Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation has sent a letter to the collector declaring this dargah illegal and ordered action against it. As the dargah is located on forest land, communalists had started demanding the demolition of the dargah. In the House, Darranjan Daukhre had also demanded action against the dargah, after which now the state government has ordered to run a bulldozer on the dargah. An order has also been issued to remove and demolish the dargah by May.

Dargah trustee Amjad Sheikh said that this dargah is ancient and this order is illegal in itself. In this case, communal forces had launched a campaign against the dargah, after which this order was issued.

There is a dargah on the beach and citing the threat of terrorist and illegal activities and the presence of terrorists here, there was a demand to demolish the dargah. The dargah is close to the sea and in such a situation, the threat of a terrorist attack on Mumbai from the sea has been expressed, while the dargah administration has clearly denied this and said that communal organizations are running their agenda against the dargah and there is no such threat. Muslims have opposed this decision of the government and Muslims have also expressed their displeasure and anger over it.

The trustee says that this dargah is ancient and earlier the collector and the municipal corporation had given a notice, after which the illegal shed and other premises were demolished here and the dargah administration has taken this action at its own level. Now an order has been issued to demolish the dargah itself.

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Maharashtra

Haji Ali Dargah will be closed for pilgrims for a few hours on Eid due to rising sea level

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Mumbai: Due to rising sea level at Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai, the dargah will be closed for pilgrims for a few hours on Eid. On March 31, the dargah will be closed for pilgrims from 12 noon to 3 pm. During this time, entry of pilgrims to the dargah will be restricted. The dargah will be closed on Tuesday, April 1 from 12:45 pm to 3:45 pm and on Wednesday, April 2 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

Therefore, we have appealed to the pilgrims not to gather at the dargah during these hours. This information has been released by Tahir, administrative officer of Haji Ali Dargah. Pilgrims visit Haji Ali Dargah on Eid-Basi and Tiwasi, but due to the rising water level of the sea, water gets accumulated on the way to the Dargah and entry to the Dargah is prohibited and the gate of the Dargah remains closed during these days, due to which there is a lot of crowd there. Therefore, pilgrims have been requested to come to the Dargah only at the scheduled time.

The police also remains vigilant at the Dargah during the rising sea level, as there is a crowd of pilgrims here during Eid and festivals. The Haji Ali Dargah administration has said that on the occasion of Eid, lakhs of pilgrims visit the Dargah of Haji Ali (RahmatullahAlaih). These pilgrims include pilgrims from the country and abroad, so the Dargah administration has also claimed special security arrangements on Eid. Spiritual scenes are also seen at Haji Ali Dargah during Eid prayers.

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