Uran civic body dumps waste in mangroves, allege green activists

Dumping of garbage in mangroves is a violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), 2019, norms as mangroves acquire the highest amount of protection. It is also a violation of the September 2018 Bombay high court (HC) order banning mangrove destruction across Maharashtra.

A five-hectare protected forest near Hanuman Koliwada in Uran has been converted into a dumping ground with large amounts of municipal waste, environmentalists said on Thursday. They also filed a complaint with various departments of the state highlighting the issue.

The garbage dumped in mangroves near Hanuman Koliwada in Uran, Navi Mumbai. (HT Photo)

“Despite having a dedicated plot for dumping municipal solid waste, the Uran Nagar Parishad has resorted to dump it inside mangrove forests. When this waste gets leached into the soil, it drains the mangroves of all its nutrients and further contaminates water bodies in the vicinity,” said Nandkumar Pawar, head, Shree Ekvira Aai Pratishthan (SEAP).

Dumping of garbage in mangroves is a violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), 2019, norms as mangroves acquire the highest amount of protection. It is also a violation of the September 2018 Bombay high court (HC) order that banned mangrove destruction across Maharashtra.

Civic officials said they are not aware of the dumping. “We will send our officers to check which contractors are responsible for this, and accordingly take action against them,” said an official from Uran Nagar Parishad, on condition of anonymity.

Uran fisherman Dilip Koli said the local municipal authorities had proposed the five-hectare area to be converted into a dumping ground. “Over 20,000 residents from Punade, Washeni and Hanuman Koliwada have opposed the construction of this dumping ground citing probable health issues from untreated solid waste,” said Koli.

But , Padmashri Bainade, resident deputy collector, Raigad, said the district administration has not received any proposal for the dumping ground. “Approving a landfill is a long process which needs permission from government departments. If there are mangroves present at the site, the work is illegal. The chief officer of the civic body is answerable for this.”