Surge in encroachments, garbage burning at mangrove forests during lockdown

Encroachers are taking advantage of the lockdown to occupy mangrove forests in Borivli and Dahisar, alleged residents. Residents of the area have photographed encroachers

Encroachers are taking advantage of the lockdown to occupy mangrove forests in Borivli and Dahisar, alleged residents. Residents of the area have photographed encroachers burning garbage to destroy mangrove trees near Ganpat Patil Nagar slum opposite to IC Colony in Borivli.

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BMC demolished some new encroachments in the mangroves on Thursday but said it was impossible to monitor such violations during the outbreak.

“As concerned authorities like the police and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are busy containing the Covid-19 crisis, people are taking advantage and expanding illegal structures into mangrove forests. These violations are leading to permanent damage, and need to be addressed on priority,” said Harish Pandey, secretary, New Link Road Residents’ Forum.

“Even if the fires are put out, the sheer expanse of the mangrove forests extending up to Gorai creek, allows encroachers to find new spots daily.”

Borivli resident Aakash Sarin said, “This is systematic destruction. I have spotted at least one fire on lockdown days from my balcony, and subsequently structures coming up on the same spot. If such cases are neglected very soon they will spread across the entire green zone.”

Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forest (Mangrove cell) said, “These areas do not fall under our jurisdiction. However, alerts have been issued to the revenue department for action against such incidents but all authorities are busy fighting Covid-19. As a result cases have increased.”

Member of legislative assembly (MLA) from Dahisar Manisha Chaudhari said that local residents were burning garbage closer to mangroves. “The issue has been highlighted to the mangrove cell, BMC and the revenue department. Lack of waste management facilities in these zones is allowing such cases to increase. Corrective action is being taken,” she said.

The revenue department said cases were on private land and mangrove trees had not been destroyed. “A recent Bombay high court order has also directed us not demolish all unauthorised structures for the fear that more people may congregate on streets breaking the social distancing norm and also increase chances of Covid-19 community spread. However, such cases are being closely monitored by us and BMC,” said Vinod Dhotre, Borivli tehsildar (revenue officer).

“The fires are being lit at mangrove buffer areas and so far all complaints have been addressed. Major illegal structures have been removed but a lot of debris is dumped inside the reserved forest zone and we cannot access those areas” said Sandhya Nandedkar, assistant municipal commissioner of R North ward adding, “As per a report by the fire department, trucks are dumping debris at the site to flatten the mangroves followed by dumping and burning of garbage. While we are finding it very difficult to respond to frequent cases, major areas fall under the mangrove cell’s purview and an offence report needs to be filed for enhanced protection.”

Not just the northern suburbs but mushrooming of illegal structures and tree felling cases were reported from Aarey Colony, Goregaon and inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borvili during the lockdown said other environmentalists.

Meanwhile, a fire was reported near the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) camp in Aarey Colony, Goregaon on Friday evening. The fire department said it was due to burning of the garbage but was not a major fire, and doused in less than an hour. Aarey authorities were clueless about the incident.