Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation hands over 466 acres of mangrove land to forest dept

As per a study by the forest department, the overall mangrove cover in the state has increased by 408.79 square kilometres

Nature lovers and environmentalists have something to cheer about because the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has handed over 466 acres of mangrove land at Gorai and Manori to the Mangroves Cell of the forest department. The land is equivalent to the size of over 200 soccer fields.

Illegal encroachment and destruction of mangroves in and around Mumbai and in the MMR have been cause of concern. Time and again city-based nature lovers and environmentalists have been highlighting this issue.

"In May, the MTDC handed over 466 acres of mangrove land at Gorai and Manori to the Mangrove Cell of the forest department and it's a welcome move," said a forest department official.

Environment minister Aaditya Thackeray, during a meeting with the MTDC and forest department officials in September last year, had asked the agencies concerned to handover the mangrove forest patch in Gorai and Manori. He had also asked the district collector and municipal corporations in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Raigad and Palghar to identify rich mangrove forest patches and hand them over to the Mangroves Cell of the forest department so that they can be protected.

Wildlife conservationist and director of The Corbett Foundation, Kedar Gore, said, "This is excellent news. We need to secure the last remaining patches of mangroves from further land use change and development. Ecological importance of mangroves is well known and it is good that the state government is taking appropriate steps to ensure legal protection of these fragile ecosystems. I hope the government will take the necessary steps to restore mangroves that were destroyed in the past two decades. About 200 hectares of mangroves behind the Lokhandwala Complex were destroyed in 2000 and 2001 for construction of a golf course. Even two decades later, this patch still remains barren."

According to forest department officials, there are 17,000 hectares of mangroves on government land, 13,000 hectares on private land and 16,699 hectares have been given the status of reserve forest.

As per a study undertaken by the forest department, the overall mangrove cover in the state has increased by 408.79 square kilometre, which in 2005 was 304.39 square kilometre.

Environmentalist, Harish Pande, said, "It's a welcome development. All notified mangrove patches across Maharashtra need to be handed over to the Mangroves Cell to ensure their protection. We also need to keep a watch on mangroves on private land and map them properly. These are more vulnerable."

17k hectares
Stretch of mangroves on forest land in state

13k hectares
Stretch of mangroves on private land in state