FOREST OF PROTEST

Map of Powai and Vihar lake in early 2000

The above map shows the development around the Vihar and Powai lake. The rising of the institutions like IIT Bombay and  NITIE ,building of various 3-5 star hotels and expansion of Hiranandani estate is a major reason the area got developed.  In the two images one can notice how the boundary of powai lake is changing.The extension of the green cover and wetlands has deteriorated which has resulted in the lack of habitat for the crocodiles. The current proposal for cycling track also suggests more land for the public and less land for the amphibians. 

Recently there have been crocodile attacks in these areas, where the construction of land was taking place as if these creatures were protesting for their share of land. Similarly, because of the recent proposal more land aquisition has been happening across the hilly areas. Many activists and environmnetalists have protested against such actions but the governing bodies are now questioning the authencity of calling these areas as Forests. The only areas that have not been affected by these land politics are the high end hotels and the institutions which have already set their boundry walls high enough to not care. Even with such uncertainty and uprising in these areas the land is still being used by the people of the slums, the cyclists have access to the land by a small gate.