While various government agencies and private organisations are working to increase the green cover in Aarey Milk Colony by planting trees, free-roaming buffaloes continue to pose a serious threat to the newly planted saplings. To safeguard over 5000 young trees, authorities have begun installing 4-to 6-foot-high chain-link fencing around plantation sites.
Aarey, along with the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, is one of Mumbai’s last green lungs and has rich biodiversity. Most of its land falls under the jurisdiction of the Aarey CEO’s office, which oversees 812 acres. Over the past few years, plantation drives using native species have been carried out by various government departments and private bodies. However, illegal grazing by buffaloes and cows in certain parts of Aarey has been damaging these plantations.
The fence installed by authorities to protect the saplings.
Sources said the illegally grazing cattle are not owned by registered cattle farm owners in Aarey but by individuals living outside the colony.
A cattle farm owner, requesting anonymity, explained, “A buffalo costs over Rs 1 lakh, and no genuine cattle farm owner will leave it to graze openly because the risk is high. Most of the buffaloes seen grazing in Aarey’s forest or milk colony belong to private individuals from outside areas, including Filterpada. They don’t have cattle sheds, so they release their buffaloes into the forest. These animals also eat the saplings. The owners spend nothing on fodder because the animals graze for free all day and night, returning only to be milked.”
A visit by mid-day to a Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) plantation site revealed metal chain-link fencing installed to protect over 5000 saplings. At another site, similar fencing was under construction. Buffaloes were also seen resting in a water body during the day and near the fence at night.
A buffalo seen roaming near the fenced plantation site at night. Pic/By Special Arrangement
About a week ago, a meeting at Aarey Milk Colony, attended by local MLA Bala Nandgaonkar, the Aarey CEO, BMC ward officer, and forest department officials, also discussed the issue. Several tribal residents practising paddy and vegetable farming complained that free-roaming buffaloes were damaging their crops.
Sanjiv Valsan, director of Waghoba Habitat Foundation, said, “Cattle come from illegal sheds in Filterpada slums. Their buffaloes roam freely across, reportedly due to bribes paid to some forest department staff. This has long caused friction with Aarey’s adivasi farmers, whose crops are raided. There have even been instances of violence between cattle owners and farmers due to the lack of forest department action. These buffaloes have also damaged the fruit trees we planted for tribal farmers. If the department acted firmly, it could eliminate the problem, rather than spending conservation funds on fencing that also hinders wildlife movement.”
Vijay Wagh, security officer from the Aarey CEO’s office, said, “When we spot buffaloes roaming illegally, we report it to the BMC, as they are authorised to act. Areas under the forest department’s jurisdiction fall outside our control.”
A forest department official said, “We received reports about illegal grazing and will soon take action against those responsible.”
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Acres of land overseen by the Aarey CEO
