Forest department busts illegal excavation in Virar forest

Three trucks were seized from the excavation site, and the drivers booked in a case under the Indian Forest Act

The forest department, acting on a tip-off, busted illegal excavation taking place in a forest near Pelhar village, in Mandvi near Virar. Three trucks were seized from the location and an offence has been registered against the three drivers.

Range Forest Officer Rita Vaidya from Mandvi Range of the Dahanu Forest Division confirmed, "Our staff visited the location on Thursday and found illegal excavation going on in the forest area. An offence has been registered under the sections of Indian Forest Act against three people."

Sources from the forest department told this newspaper that they suspect the illegal excavation work was being carried out as an alleged extension of a stone quarry near Pelhar village. The sources added that the stone quarry operator was issued a warning in the past to his allocated area.

Such unauthorised excavation or mining poses a huge threat to the forest biodiversity, said the officials involved in the operation, including Avinash Sargar, Ashish Bhore, Raut and Pagi.