Mumbai: Locals sound alert over danger to mangroves patch in Andheri

A local resident said the debris is dumped illegally at night

Once again, the city's mangroves are in danger of being destroyed. This time, it is a patch of mangroves adjacent to the Lokhandwala back road on a 200-metres stretch, where construction material debris is being dumped. Interestingly, the stretch goes towards a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) garbage segregation unit. Activists say the Mangroves Cell should act before it's too late.

Illegal dumping of construction material debris is a major concern in many places in Mumbai. The mangrove cover in isolated places is an easy spot to dump debris without getting noticed. Debris has been illegally dumped in various locations close to the mangroves forest patch in and around Lokhandwala in Andheri west. 'Can't police, BMC, see?'

On Sunday this reporter visited the 200m stretch and saw debris dumped close to the mangroves forest patch on both sides of the road. What is also shocking is the fact that the road where the debris is being dumped, is frequently used by BMC trucks to enter the garbage segregation unit. There were huge piles of construction material debris and locals said the illegal dumping takes place late in the night. Plastic was also dumped into the mangroves cover.

A local resident said, "Everyday and night the police properly patrol the area. As the road going towards Lokhandwala back road lake is an isolated area, the police request people not to stay there till late night. But it is surprising that the police and BMC have turned a blind eye to the illegal dumping. If it is not stopped then the debris might destroy the green mangroves patch."

'Stop dumping'
Filmmaker and chairman of Oshiwara Lokhandwala Citizens' Association (OLCA), Ashoke Pandit said, "The entire Lokhandwala back road has always been under threat. There is a fire here everyday. We have been complaining but the land sharks are continuously abusing the mangroves. We have approached local MP Gajanan Kirtikar and MLA Bharti Lavekar to get the entire belt fenced, but their priorities in life are different. Making them understand the importance of mangroves is a very difficult task."

Another resident, Dhaval Shah, who is also an active member of OLCA said, "The collector's office and BMC need to take serious cognisance of the scale at which the debris has been dumped. They should install CCTVs and make sure that the illegal dumping is stopped with immediate effect before a huge portion of the mangroves patch is destroyed."

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates