Eight SGNP staffers down with Corona even as morning walkers demand entry

Mumbai: About eight staffers of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Mumbai’s green lung, have tested positive for Covid-19. While the eight have been shifted out for treatment, many of their contact persons have been quarantined for now. There has been a growing chorus for opening the national park for the public as part of the state’s Mission Begin Again.

“When my own staff is infected, how can I assure safety of the large number of visitors, who might throng here once the place is opened up for the public? This is not some regular open ground, but a national park with footfalls of a tourism zone. Also, with huge number of Covid cases and containment zones emerging from both Thane and North Mumbai, that line the park from both sides, we would rather prefer to wait and watch till the lockdown gets over by July 31,” Sunil Limaye, additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), West Zone told thenews21.com.

The SGNP attracts huge footfalls especially during the monsoons thanks to the streams and rivers flowing through the park during the rainy season. Its nature trails too are quite popular with visitors. Marathoner and park patrons like Gopal Jhaveri, co-founder of Rivers March echo his views. “Since the past four months of the lockdown, the park has been fully accessible for the animals in there. Many new animals born during lockdown may not be familiar and be uneasy with sudden human movement now.

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Besides, this is breeding season, during which, internationally, is kept out of bounds for people. Wildlife experts opinion should be taken before opening up the Park. The older leopards, reptiles and other species were familiar with humans movement and wouldn’t bother us. Vehicular movement inside the SGNP should especially be banned now that a 2-acre parking lot with 250-vehicular capacity is ready for use.

This should automatically clamp down on offences like illegal drinking inside park by visitors as also curtail serious offences like smuggling of snake skins and eggs of Bulbul, butterflies etc. Killing of animals in vehicular accidents would also stop as also stealing of rare species of Ayurvedic plants found in the park could stop with no vehicular access in park,” argues Jhaveri.

Mahesh Thawani, 73, a marathoner, who has been running campaigns on social media seeking access for the park, at least for the morning walkers, says “When the government is opening wine shops and salons to improve the economy, why can’t they open the national park to improve the immunity of people, at least for the 1000-odd morning  walkers community? The walkers are limited in number, don’t create nuisance and could be granted restricted access to certain parts of SGNP.” The 200-odd members of the Borivali National Park Green Runners (BNPGR) group, a NGO that trains runners for marathon in the park, too has been advocating for opening the park.

Member of Parliament Gopal Shetty too visited the park and recently tweeted a video sharing his support to open the park for morning walkers.  On July 2, Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh had tweeted: “Mumbaikars can now work ‘Out’! Citizens can now step out for individual exercises (like cycling, jogging, running, walking) in open spaces in their neighbourhood between 5 am – 7 pm.”