Mumbai: Nearly 30 acres of a coastal buffer zone of mangroves in Borivli (W) was illegally reclaimed by dumping truckloads of debris over the mangroves in the past 20 days, and a part of this encroached land is to be used for a private wedding function which is to take place on Sunday, local residents have said.
While the local activists and members of the New Link Road Residents Forum have complained to the state mangrove cell, the tehsildar, and also the BMC, no immediate action was taken by the authorities to remove the illegally dumped debris at the site. Forum member Harish Pandey said, “It is shocking how brazenly an eco-sensitive CRZ area of mangroves was destroyed and the site reclaimed for commercial activities like wedding functions. While we have complained to all the relevant state govt agencies, a formal site visit by the forest and revenue officials is being planned at Dharma Nagar in Borivli on February 25.”
The Maharashtra state mangrove cell head, S V Ramarao, said that the mangrove buffer area in question is “privately owned.” “We have requested the tehsildar to take action against the construction and encroachment under the Environment Protection Act, 1986,” Ramarao said.
Environmentalist of Conservation Action Trust, Debi Goenka, said, “I think the forest department is playing the ‘passing the buck’ game. When hundreds of dumpers were coming to the Borivli site with earth and debris, they should have immediately taken action with the help of police. According to the HC order of 2018, all mangroves are protected forests. So why dilly-dally?”
Environmentalist B N Kumar of NatConnect Foundation said, “Today a private wedding is being held on the illegal reclamation. Tomorrow, an illegal banquet hall can be built with rents of Rs 2 to 4 lakh per event. This is a massive CRZ violation.”
Range forest officer Shankar Kavate confirmed that he had received the complaint from the New Link Road Residents Forum regarding mangrove destruction and that the site visit has been planned for Feb 25.
Mumbai: Nearly 30 acres of a coastal buffer zone of mangroves in Borivli (W) was illegally reclaimed by dumping truckloads of debris over the mangroves in the past 20 days, and a part of this encroached land is to be used for a private wedding function which is to take place on Sunday, local residents have said.
While the local activists and members of the New Link Road Residents Forum have complained to the state mangrove cell, the tehsildar, and also the BMC, no immediate action was taken by the authorities to remove the illegally dumped debris at the site. Forum member Harish Pandey said, “It is shocking how brazenly an eco-sensitive CRZ area of mangroves was destroyed and the site reclaimed for commercial activities like wedding functions. While we have complained to all the relevant state govt agencies, a formal site visit by the forest and revenue officials is being planned at Dharma Nagar in Borivli on February 25.”
The Maharashtra state mangrove cell head, S V Ramarao, said that the mangrove buffer area in question is “privately owned.” “We have requested the tehsildar to take action against the construction and encroachment under the Environment Protection Act, 1986,” Ramarao said.
Environmentalist of Conservation Action Trust, Debi Goenka, said, “I think the forest department is playing the ‘passing the buck’ game. When hundreds of dumpers were coming to the Borivli site with earth and debris, they should have immediately taken action with the help of police. According to the HC order of 2018, all mangroves are protected forests. So why dilly-dally?”
Environmentalist B N Kumar of NatConnect Foundation said, “Today a private wedding is being held on the illegal reclamation. Tomorrow, an illegal banquet hall can be built with rents of Rs 2 to 4 lakh per event. This is a massive CRZ violation.”
Range forest officer Shankar Kavate confirmed that he had received the complaint from the New Link Road Residents Forum regarding mangrove destruction and that the site visit has been planned for Feb 25.
