Another mangrove tragedy

Case Filed Against School, Versova Locals Also Blame Mhada
Viju B | TNN

Mumbai: Till four years ago, Seema Sahu's high-rise apartment at Shiv Kutir,
Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri (West), opened to a verdant stretch of
mangroves. Not anymore. In blatant violation of a high court order, around
an acre of lush mangroves has been systematically destroyed near Versova
Creek.

    While activists and local residents say that the Maharashtra Housing and
Area Area Development Authority (Mhada) should be held primarily responsible
for the destruction, the Versova police have registered an FIR against the
Janakidevi Educational Trust for allegedly trespassing on land protected by
Coastal Regulation Zone-1 (CRZ-1) rules and destroying the mangroves.

 The destruction is on an acre adjacent to Shiv Kutir building and the Janakidevi
public school, at SVP Nagar, where debris has been systematically dumped on
mangroves. The one-acre stretch was leased three years ago by Mhada to the
Janakidevi trust to be maintained as a green belt. But residents alleged
that the trust destroyed the mangroves so that it could extend the school's
pathway. "Mhada has failed to protect the mangroves,'' said Sahu.

In fact, activists and residents say that the one-acre destruction is only part of
the story. Encroachment is also threatening another four acres of mangroves.
"The Versova Creek is slowly being encroached upon and Mhada is turning a
blind eye to it,'' alleged Rupa Ravindran, a resident of Sweet Home
apartments, which adjoins the creek.

    "How can Mhada's development plan show the area as a park, when it is
covered with mangroves?'' asked Rishi Agarwal of the Mangrove Society of
India (Mumbai). Mangroves along the Versova Creek protect the region from
inter-tidal floods. "The creek is choked at several places and will soon
become like another Mithi river,'' Agarwal said. He has now requested Mhada
for a satellite imagery survey to assess the destruction. "A comparative
study of satellite imagery from 1995, 2000 and 2006 by the National Remote
Sensing Authority would reveal the extent of damage,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Janakidevi trustee Narendra Verma said there were no mangroves in
the area in the first place. "The land allotted to me did not have
mangroves. In fact, there was a lot of encroachment, which was removed on
our initiative,'' Verma said.

He instead questioned Mhada. "If at all there were mangroves here, then
Mhada should be first held responsible for allotting this land. Mhada also
kept a watchman round-the-clock. What was he doing here?'' he asked.

Mhada vice president Iqbal Singh said, "After we conducted an on-site visit
we found that the school authorities had dumped construction material and
destroyed the mangroves. Mhada has decided not to renew the threeyear lease
it had with the school. "The lease, which expires in November, has not been
renewed. We have also pressed for a case of forgery and trespassing against
the culprits,'' Singh said.

RECENT HACKINGS

    Nearly 52 acres of mangroves were destroyed near Seawood Estate, Nerul.
Bunds had been built to choke the trees' water supply. The Bombay high court
has asked the Thane district judge to probe the matter.

    At Bangur Nagar, Goregoan, a church has come up in violation of CRZ
rules, activists alleged

    Nearly 300 acres of mangroves near the Eastern Express Highway at
Kannamwar, Kanjurmarg are in danger due to the dumping of silt from the
Mithi river, said activist Rishi Agarwal

CHOKING NATURE: Debris has been systematically dumped on an acre of
mangroves along Versova Creek to help the creation of a pathway in violation
of coastal regulations.



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