Mangrove activists file 2 cases against Kapil

MUMBAI: Two city-based activists filed two separate complaints with the Versova Police station on Saturday morning against comedian-actor Kapil Sharma for the alleged

MUMBAI: Two city-based activists filed two separate complaints with the Versova Police station on Saturday morning against comedian-actor Kapil Sharma for the alleged dumping of debris at wetlands and the destruction of mangroves near his Andheri (West) office.

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The move comes a day after Sharma tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi about alleged corruption in the Brinhanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Following this, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis promised to take strict action on Friday. Later in the day, civic body officials asked Sharma to reveal the names of the corrupt officials.

The first complaint was filed at 4.30am by activist and Jogeshwari resident, Asad Patel, alleging illegal construction and dumping of debris on wetlands at Bungalow 70 – 71 on Jankidevi Public School Road, SV Patel Nagar, Andheri (West).

“The place is full of mangroves. A prudent man can see that the place has been encorached upon,” said Patel. “We demand strict action against Sharma under laws such as the Environment Protection Act, 1986, Forest Act 1927 and various Bombay high court orders regarding the conservation of mangroves,” he added.

The second complaint was filed by Watchdog Foundation, an NGO, with the chief minister, municipal commissioner, state mangrove cell, Versova police and the union environment ministry alleging unauthorised construction at wetlands.

“Sharma committed a crime by illegally constructing structures in a Costal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and destroying mangroves to extend the area of his bungalow. The site within five metres of a thick patch of mangroves,” said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation.”We demand Sharma’s arrest. The civic body must look into several other illegal constructions along this site.”

Officials from the state mangrove cell said they visited the site following the complaint. “No mangroves have been destroyed in areas under the jurisdiction of the state mangrove cell. However, the complaint for the alleged construction identifies a site under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA),” said N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forest, state mangrove cell. “We are investigating whether any mangroves were destroyed in the MHADA site or not,” he added.