Fire breaks out in Aarey; activists, locals cry foul

A fire broke out in the thickets of Aarey forest adjacent to the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) grounds on Friday afternoon. The flames emerged around 12.30 pm following which the adjoining areas of Aarey were covered in a thick blanket of smoke.

This is the fifth fire incident being reported from the thickets of Aarey in February. There was no report of casualty or injury in the incident. Local residents and environment activists have alleged a foul play in the fire incident.

Officials of Mumbai Fire Brigade maintained that it was a normal fire which was doused within an hour.

Local resident Sandeep Athalaye stated, after the lockdown the fire incidents in Aarey area got intensified.

"I don't see a good intention behind the fire and this is happening frequently after the lockdown, we have lodged complaints about the incident to the administration a number of times," Athalaye told FPJ.

Stalin Dayanand - environmentalist and director of NGO - Vanashakti claimed, setting the grasslands on fire are attempts of encroachers and tribals to establish their own settlements.

"After the state government announced that parts of Aarey will be marked as reserved forest, encroachers and tribals are burning grasslands to set up agricultural fields, so they can claim alternate housing or compensation from the government," Stalin told FPJ.

Furthermore he stated, similar thing has happened near the grasslands adjacent to the VIP guest house in Aarey.