Mangrove belt turns garbage dump

Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG) alleged this week in a complaint to the district commissioner of Konkan and the collector of Thane.

“The destruction is colossal and most of it is done by the Mira-Bhayander civic department. One of their projects,a road from Jesal Park to Ghodbunder Road in Thane,passes through the mangroves. Besides,there are an illegal police chowky,an illegal water tanker and houses less than 20 metres from the coastline. Farmers have also reclaimed parts of the land within the coastal zone and begun cultivation,” said Dr Sayed Nudrat Zawar,BEAG’s senior conservation officer,who inspected the site last week.

BEAG alleges that the Mira-Bhayendar Municipal Corporation began illegally developing a 10-acre chowpatty three years ago,destroying several mangroves in the region. The revenue department registered two cases but the civic department is said to have gone ahead.

In October 2005,the High Court had ordered “a total freeze on the destruction and cutting of mangroves in Maharashtra”,a mapping of state mangroves,their notification as “protected forests” and a ban on all construction within 50 metres on all sides of mangroves,regardless of ownership of the land. In July 2008,the state notified 5,589 hectares in Mumbai,Thane and Navi Mumbai,yet destruction of mangroves has continued,Zawar said.

Konkan Divisional Commissioner S S Sandhu said all illegal activity and reclaims are strictly monitored. “The tehsildar and the collector monitor offences,the collector then takes action against the offenders,a police case is lodged and an inquiry is conducted. Reports are sent to the High Court every month.”

Debi Goenka of BEAG said,“The collector has told us that offences have been registered against erring outfits. We’d like to know what action has been taken as dumping continues incessantly.”

Mangrove expert Vivek Kulkarni explained how illegal dumping takes place: “Organised builders in urban areas are conscious of the HC ruling but smaller local builders in these mangrove areas don’t care. Lobbying is very strong here. The need of the hour is to hand these areas to the forest department and set up a monitoring agency.”