Hope as mangroves start growing again: Activists

NAVI MUMBAI: Environmentalists have claimed that after 15 years of incessant dumping of waste, mangroves in Bori Pakhadi in Uran across Mumbai harbour have regrown, giving hopes for their conservation.

This is the second case of destroyed mangroves re-growing on their own.

NatConnect Foundation director, BN Kumar, claimed that while mangroves re-growing despite human intervention was a good sign, the continued violation needs to be addressed.

“In both the incidents, the mangroves were first destroyed. Thus, it is a violation of Bombay High Court order to protect mangroves and calls for contempt against the authorities.”

The garbage menace on mangroves and wetland continues despite the efforts of local residents and environmentalists of Bori Pakhadi and Hanuman Koliwada. Moreover, the stinking dump has posed many health hazards to senior citizens in particular as the place was on fire twice during the peak of the Corona pandemic.

The High Court-appointed Mangrove Protection and Conservation Committee has ordered the Uran Municipal Council in December 2019 to stop dumping and asked CIDCO and Raigad District Collector to find an alternative dumping ground. This order went unheeded, while residents protested against the destruction.

Raigad district Guardian

Minister, Aditi Tatkare, too had intervened when she was confronted by a group of concerned citizens at Uran in December.

Dismissing allegations of negligence and destruction, CIDCO PRO, Priya Ratambe, said, “CIDCO is committed to preserving the environment.”