The Maharashtra forest department has proposed to designate the Mayani Lake cluster of four water bodies and forest patches spread across 996.16 hectares (ha) in Satara district as a conservation reserve. Conservation reserves are protected areas, which act as buffer zones or migration corridors between established national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, reserved and protected forests.
Officials said the proposal was mooted after residents of four villages around the proposed reserve gave their consent for it on Wednesday. “The informally known Mayani Bird Sanctuary was never declared [so] on paper by the forest department,” said chief conservator of forest (Kolhapur) V Clement Ben.Ben said they will submit the proposal to the state’s principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) for the declaration of this area as a conservation reserve following the completion of the provisional public consultation under Section 36 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He added they received a positive feedback from the residents.