Thane collector gets contempt of court notice

The Bombay high court has issued a contempt of court notice to Thane district collector Ashwini Joshi, for failing to take steps to protect mangroves despite specific orders from the court.

The Bombay high court has issued a contempt of court notice to Thane district collector Ashwini Joshi, for failing to take steps to protect mangroves despite specific orders from the court.

Acting on a petition filed by locals about the destruction of mangroves and unauthorised construction on wetlands at Agasan village in Thane, in January, the high court had directed the collector to take steps to protect the mangroves in the area.

On Tuesday, the division bench of justice Abhay Oka and justice CV Bhadang was irked to note that no such steps were taken by the collector. “We find that the district collector of Thane has committed a deliberate breach of the aforesaid orders of this court,” the judges said and issued the notice to Joshi.

Taking stern note of the rampant destruction of mangroves and construction of illegal structures, the court had, in December 2014, directed the Thane Municipal Corporation to demolish illegal chawls constructed on the land.

The court has posted the matter for further hearing on June 17.