Jafrabad Reserve Forest land dispute: MLA Hira Solanki writes to Forest Minister seeking clarification; Anger over 75 hectares of reserve forest to private company

On the one hand, the Gujarat government is spending crores of rupees for the breeding of Asiatic Lions, on the other hand, there is a lot of anger over the movement to hand over the reserve forest land in the Babarkot coastal belt area of Jafrabad taluka of Amreli district to a private company for mining. MLA Hira Solanki has written a letter to the forest minister seeking an explanation on the issue. Rajula-Jafrabad MLA Hira Solanki has written a letter to Cabinet Minister Arjun Modhwadia. He said that if this reserve land of the sea belt is given for mining, the survival of wildlife will be threatened. Why has a project which was rejected by the previous authorities suddenly given a positive feedback now? He has demanded an immediate explanation in the matter. Earlier, Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia had said, "We have not received any such proposal. We are not going to allow mining in any reserve forest. Main controversy: 'Green flag' to a proposal that was rejected for 12 years? A private company has been sitting on about 75 hectares of valuable land in the reserve forest under Dhari Gir East division near Babarkot for the last 12 years. Babarkot sarpanch representative Anak Sankhat and lion lover Mayank Bhatt have also earlier alleged that the authorities are giving a false report that there are "no lions in the area". If the government does not stop this decision, then there is also a threat of fierce agitation in the coming days. On the one hand, the slogan of 'Save Lion' and on the other hand, the movement of mining in the corridor of lions - a 'whirlwind' of protest has also started on social media against this double policy of the government. It remains to be seen whether the forest department will give priority to the interests of industrialists or the lions that are the pride of Gujarat.