Mangrove destruction: Over 50 cases this year in Mumbai

The cases relate to debris dumping, encroachment, hacking, blocking of tidal water to the mangroves and destruction of wildlife.

Nearly 50 cases on the destruction of the city’s mangroves, which play a key role in absorbing the impact of flooding and are rich in flora and fauna, have been registered between January and July this year.

The cases relate to debris dumping, encroachment, hacking, blocking of tidal water to the mangroves and destruction of wildlife. Twenty-seven cases relate to destruction of wildlife, including flamingo poaching and beaching of Dolphins. Another 12 cases are on debris dumping and eight on encroachment.

The cases have been registered under the Indian Forest Act, 1927; Environment Protection Act, 1986; Coastal Regulation Zone laws and Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Mumbai has 6,600 hectares (ha) of mangrove cover, with 6,400 ha in the suburbs and 200 ha in south Mumbai. Of this, close to 4,500 ha is on government land and rest in private areas. Navi Mumbai and the eastern end of Thane creek have 1,471 ha of mangroves.

Around 4,225 ha of mangroves on government land has been declared as ‘reserve forest’. This provides more protection as the law prohibits all human activities in the area, including grazing and hunting while giving more teeth to the forest department to punish encroachers.

Last year, the Bombay High Court had ordered the state government to launch criminal action against those who destroy mangroves.

“Strict vigilance has been enforced in areas which had earlier reported high cases of mangrove destruction. In addition, swift implementation of environment protection laws and conservation efforts with the construction of a compound wall and round-the-clock surveillance has helped,” said Neenu Somaraj, deputy conservator of forests, mangrove cell.

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