Forest department tells SC: ‘Razed illegal structures at Tungareshwar ashram’

The Maharashtra forest department said they completed the demolition of all illegal structures at the Balayogi Shree Sadanand Maharaj Ashram inside Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWLS), barring the ones the Apex court ordered to preserve.

Hindustan Times has accessed an image of the demolition work carried out during the last week of August.

The Supreme Court (SC) on August 30, while hearing a review petition filed by the 42-year-old ashram, passed an order directing the state to demolish all illegal structures except the temple, samadhis (tombs within the ashram), and three rooms adjacent to the temple.

Forest officials said the SC is yet to issue directions regarding the fate of the remaining structures, as the matter is still being heard in court. The final hearing in this matter is scheduled on September 30. “The SC will give its final decision regarding the conditions levied on the ashram,” said Anwar Ahmed, director and chief conservator of forest, Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). “All other structures have been demolished as per the SC’s previous orders.”

Ahmed said that forest guards have been placed at the ashram premises for security purposes. “The debris from the demolition is yet to be removed. It will take some time,” he added.

Meanwhile, on September 6, the SC bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Deepak Gupta passed an order on the submissions made by the state chief secretary, regarding the completion of the demolition. The SC also directed the Maharashtra government to verify maps of the area submitted by senior counsels appearing for the ashram.

Amicus Curiae ADN Rao proposed certain conditions before the SC post demolition of the structures. Some of the recommendations include: access to the temple between 8am and 5pm; prior permissions from SGNP for access; no vehicles should be permitted; no lights or generators; no food provided to devotees from the ashram; only two attendants at the premises, and restriction of movement after sunset.

“A copy of the proposed conditions has been handed over to Indira Jaising, learned senior counsel, to respond to the same,” the SC order said.

In May and later in July, the same bench had directed the Maharashtra government to demolish the ashram complex while hearing a plea by Debi Goenka from Conservation Action Trust (CAT) alleging that the ashram was encroaching on forest land. “It is unfortunate that the forest department did not carry out the demolition much earlier, which gave the ashram enough time to seek a stay on some structures. Moreover, it is shocking that the police and revenue department did not cooperate during the demolition proceedings,” said Goenka.