India, April 11 -- The Thane forest division has begun fencing the 104 sq km border around the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) with a brick wall to prevent illegal encroachments and protect biodiversity in the Yeur section of the park. The department has issued notices to over 5,000 encroachers occupying forest land and is planning a demolition drive with police assistance.

Officials said encroachments are responsible for forest degradation and are linked to nearly 99% of wildfires reported in the Yeur range on the Thane side. Spread across 5,923 hectares, the forest is home to wildlife such as leopards, spotted deer and sambar, and extends across Panchpakhadi, Manpada, Ghodbunder, Nagla Bunder and Chena.

"Rapid urbanization in Thane...