Mangrove cell on drive to remove encroachments

Mumbai has 4,000 hectare of reserved mangrove forests, which is under the jurisdiction of the state forest department’s mangrove cell. Of these, around 5 hectares have been encroached upon and the cell is working on restoring these forests. According to estimates, there are around 174 structures in the two-hectare patch of mangroves at Cheetah camp.

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According to mangrove cell officials, eviction notices were issued to structures that came up on these mangrove lands after 2005. “We relied on the satellite maps of 2005 and they clearly show that these regions had mangroves. We followed due legal procedure of issuing notices, conducting hearings and giving people time to vacate the structures,” said the official.

At Colaba, around 125 police personnel, besides 425 labourers worked to remove all the encroachments over the weekend.

After demolition, the mangrove cell will construct fences and are working on a scheme to re-channelise tidal waters to regenerate mangroves. This assumes significance as vast stretches of mangroves on private land in the city, not under the cell’s jurisdiction, is being destroyed through debris dumping and land-filling activities.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com