MUMBAI: A wall built to starve mangroves of water near the Oshiwara creek, potentially allowing them to perish and allow a developer to usurp a large land parcel in Andheri west, will be demolished.
The demolition has been ordered by the state environment department, which has asked the Mumbai suburban district collector to raze the illegal wall in the mangroves’ buffer zone, and demarcate the mangroves according to the maps of 2005. The work is expected to be completed by December.
The issue had been raised during the monsoon session of the state legislature by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab. The controversy related to the destruction of mangroves, illegal land reclamation, and a conspiracy to occupy 350 acres of land at Pahadi Goregaon in Andheri west.
Environment minister Pankaja Munde had told the house that Mahalaxmi Enterprises was reclaiming land for developers Usha Developers Coop Housing Society, Billine Impex Pvt Ltd and Pearl Coschem Pvt Ltd. A First Information Report (FIR) had been registered and a fine imposed on the developer.
Officials said that of the 350-acre land parcel, the developers had been allowed to convert the reservation on 70 acres from a no-development zone (NDZ) to a development zone. “Permission to change the reservation was given on condition that 35 acres would also be set aside for the National Law University (NLU). But the developer built a wall to cut off the water supply to a stretch of mangroves near the Oshiwara creek, to gradually occupy a much larger area on the land parcel. Now the mangroves’ cell will step in and demarcate the area,” said a government official.
{{/usCountry}}Officials said that of the 350-acre land parcel, the developers had been allowed to convert the reservation on 70 acres from a no-development zone (NDZ) to a development zone. “Permission to change the reservation was given on condition that 35 acres would also be set aside for the National Law University (NLU). But the developer built a wall to cut off the water supply to a stretch of mangroves near the Oshiwara creek, to gradually occupy a much larger area on the land parcel. Now the mangroves’ cell will step in and demarcate the area,” said a government official.
{{/usCountry}}Jayshree Bhoj secretary, state environment department, said, “According to the law, construction is not allowed within 50 metres from mangroves. We have sent a letter to the district collector and asked them to demolish the wall preventing water from reaching the mangroves. Also, the mangroves will be demarcated as per maps of 2005.”
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