THANE, April 11 -- The Thane forest division has begun fencing the 104-sq km border of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) with a brick wall to prevent illegal encroachments and protect biodiversity in the Yeoor 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 Yeoor 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 has led to significant encroachment in several parts of the forest, with local residents and anti-social elements constructing homes on forest land. Areas such as Panchpakhadi and Manpada have witnessed large-scale encroachments where people have settled illegally," said a forest officer. Encroachments have also intensified human-animal conflict, disrupted natural food chains and disturbed wildlife habitats. The issue has persisted for decades, despite rehabilitation deadlines set in 1995 and later extended to 2011. However, a recent forest department survey indicates that approximately 5,000 houses still exist on forest land. Mayur Survase, range forest officer, Yeoor Range, told HT, "As the forest area lacks a visible wall or boundary, anyone can enter the area freely. There have been several instances of fires, harm to wildlife, and activities such as smoking or cooking inside the forest range that have led to massive fires and biodiversity loss. Once the boundary wall is completed in the next few years, encroachments and illegal human entry will be curbed, which will also help reduce human-animal conflict and instances of leopards entering residential areas." The Yeoor range records 10 to 15 wildfires annually. This year alone, four incidents have been reported till March, all attributed to human activity. Survase said most fires are caused by cooking, smoking or unattended flames, with only a small fraction occurring naturally. Recent fires last month destroyed nearly 20 hectares of forest. Extinguishing forest fires is more challenging than tackling fires in residential or commercial zones. The uneven terrain and inaccessibility of forest areas prevent the use of fire tenders or vehicles. Instead, forest personnel rely on fire blowers to control the flames. The Yeur range is managed by a team of 42 staff members who patrol the area, monitor encroachments and prevent illegal activities such as poaching and forest produce smuggling. As a preventive measure against wildfires, the forest department conducts controlled burning, known as creating 'fire lines,' before February 15 each year. During this process, dry leaves and forest canopies are burned in a controlled manner to reduce the accumulation of dry biomass, thereby minimizing the risk of fires during the summer season. Survase further emphasized that any unauthorized activity within designated forest areas is punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act, and the Indian Forest Act. Offenders may face imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of Rs.25,000, or both, depending on the severity of the violation....