Mangroves were destroyed, says judge’s report

A report filed by principal judge of the sessions court ML Tahilyani on the state of mangroves at Dahisar has confirmed that there has been destruction of mangroves in the area.

A report filed by principal judge of the sessions court ML Tahilyani on the state of mangroves at Dahisar has confirmed that there has been destruction of mangroves in the area.

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The report was submitted to the Supreme Court on December 10 and read out in court on Wednesday. It has pointed out several environmental violations by Ravi Builders, who had been allowed to repair a bund in the area on the condition that mangroves would not be destroyed.

Tahilyani’s report states that the builder increased the height and width of the bund, cutting off the supply of seawater to the mangroves.

This report has confirmed the allegations made by residents that mangroves along New Link Road at Dahisar, adjoining the Gorai creek, were being destroyed and new bunds being built.

The report says the new bunds have further blocked seawater intrusion into the mangroves and that huge boulders have been used for erecting the new bunds, which were built after uprooting the mangroves.

In his report, judge Tahilyani has also recorded that construction debris had been dumped on the mangroves and that mangroves had been chopped even at places where bunds were not being built or repaired. The report also states that the stagnation of water at many places because of the bund construction has led to the death of the mangroves.

The apex court has asked the four parties, the collector, builder, Bombay Environment Action Group and the New Link Road Residents’ Forum, to file their replies to the report by January 4.