Seven locals from Versova accused of destroying mangroves

Some of the huts constructed on the site

The Versova police have registered two FIRs against seven people involved in chopping mangroves and illegally constructing around 130 huts, and temples, besides dumping debris at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Nagar at Four Bungalows at Andheri West. All of them are locals. A local activist informed the Forest Department about the mangroves and after an investigation the tehsildar registered the case.

Those involved include Manda Dhavse, Ranjana Waghmare, Sunil Shinde, Aslam Shaikh, Magdut Ali, Rupesh Sawarkar and Saswat Ulwan. Sumit Dhuri, the activist who has an NGO, Shivtej Foundation NGO, informed the FD and tahsildar about the destroyed mangroves. "The accused have not yet been arrested," said a police officer.

Speaking to mid-day, Dhuri said, "During the lockdown these people entered inside the mangroves and started dumping debris there. They also constructed temples, including a Malhareshwar temple there, and around 130 huts on the forest land. They took advantage of the lockdown and chopped more than 1,000 mangroves there. Some of the area was even fitted with paver blocks. Around 10,000 square feet of land was used to build the illegal temples and construct sheds for commercial uses."

Speaking to mid-day, Hemant Worlikar, an officer with the Collector's office, who approached the police said, "After receiving complaints from an activist, we checked the area and found people had encroached on it and destroyed mangroves. We also instructed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to demolish all the huts which were constructed illegally. We registered the case under the Forest Protection Act." An officer from Versova police station said, "We have registered the case and will get the huts demolished. We will arrest the accused soon."