NGT directs Thane CP to stop reclamation, dumping on mangroves; warns collector of personal appearance

The Tribunal has also warned the Thane district collector of personal appearance at the next hearing if the administration fails to respond to the matter

THANE: A plan to plant around 9,000 trees through a Miyawaki plantation project at Saket Maidan in Rabodi has run into an environmental roadblock, with the Western Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directing the Thane police commissioner to immediately stop any further reclamation or dumping at the site.

Thane, India - September -09, 2026: The Western Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has passed an interim order in a case concerning alleged illegal dumping and construction in a mangrove-sensitive area at Saket Maidan in Rabodi, Thane. The Tribunal has directed the Thane City Police Commissioner to immediately stop any further reclamation or dumping at the site and warned the Thane District Collector of personal appearance if the administration fails to respond at the next hearing. . ,in Thane ,in Mumbai, India, on, Wednesday, September -09, 2026. ( photo by Praful Gangurde / Hindustan Times ) (Praful Gangurde)

The Miyawaki plantation method is a technique for building dense, native urban forests in a short amount of time. Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki created the method in the 1970s. It helps restore degraded land and grow forests 10 times faster than standard methods.

The Tribunal has also warned the Thane district collector of personal appearance at the next hearing if the administration fails to respond to the matter.

The interim order was passed following a hearing on September 3, 2026, on a case filed jointly by Thane-based environmental activist Rohit Joshi and Aakashganga Society, alleging illegal debris dumping and construction activity on mangrove land at Rabodi, Thane.

The petitioners have alleged that large quantities of soil and manure were being dumped at Saket Maidan by the Thane police as part of a Miyawaki plantation project intended to create a dense urban forest with around 9,000 trees. However, forest department officials have stated that the site is located within 50 metres of an existing mangrove sensitive area.

The petitioners have contended that the site falls within CRZ-IA and CRZ-IB areas, where reclamation, dumping and construction activities are subject to stringent restrictions as they are ecologically sensitive areas. They have argued that even activity undertaken in the name of creating green cover could have adverse consequences if it involves altering the terrain or dumping material in a mangrove-sensitive zone.

Rohit Joshi, an environmentalist and petitioner, argued before the Tribunal that dumping large quantities of soil and other material for plantation purposes could damage the adjoining mangrove ecosystem.

During the hearing, the Tribunal observed that, prima facie, the area appeared to fall within CRZ-IA. However, the final status of the site is yet to be confirmed by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA).

The question of the site’s coastal regulation status has therefore emerged as a key issue in the case. The MCZMA has now been directed to clarify its position, while the Thane collector has been asked to remain present at the next hearing, scheduled for November 16.

Joshi told HT, “The situation is like the cat guarding the mouse. The MCZMA, which is expected to clarify the CRZ-1 status of the site, has remained silent, while no representative from the district collector’s office appeared for the hearing despite notice. The situation raises questions over whether government departments are attempting to shield one another. The Tribunal has now directed the MCZMA to clarify its position in the matter and asked the Thane collector to remain present at the next hearing, scheduled for November 16.”

The NGT’s interim intervention comes at a time when the ecological sensitivity of Mumbai Metropolitan Region’s remaining mangrove belts has become an increasingly important environmental concern. Mangroves act as natural buffers against flooding and coastal hazards, while also supporting biodiversity and helping maintain fragile coastal ecosystems.

The Tribunal’s directions mean that, for now, the proposed plantation activity cannot come at the cost of further reclamation or dumping at the disputed site. Dr Shivaji Rathod, joint commissioner, administration, Thane police, did not respond to HT’s calls and messages seeking the official version from Thane police.