Thane: Six illegal houses on mangrove land razed

The drive was undertaken with heavy police protection

In a bid to protect the ecologically rich mangrove forests from destruction, the Mangroves Cell of the forest department has started a drive to demolish structures that were illegally built on mangroves land at Kopri near Thane. On Friday, six such houses were razed under heavy police protection.

Virendra Tiwari, additional principal chief conservator of forests and head of Mangrove Cell, told mid-day, "Our team has started a demolition drive against the houses that were constructed by destroying mangroves. On Friday, a total of six structures were demolished at Kopri, Thane, and more structures will be taken down in the coming days."

Demolition in progress at one such illegal structure in Kopri, Thane, on Friday

Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Rajendra Makdum from Mangrove Cell said that a total of 60-70 officials, including the staffers from the Mangrove Cell, the Maharashtra Security Force, Kopri police station and Tehsildar office were present during the drive.

"These illegal houses were built on mangrove land with an intention to sell them. There are around 100 more structures on the land handed over to us. We would soon start the scrutiny process and will ask the people staying in those houses to provide us with the documents. Action will be taken against structures that are illegal," said Makdum.

It may be noted that time and again city-based green activists have been highlighting the issue of illegal encroachment in forest and mangrove land. The state forest department and Mangrove Cell have been taking action against illegal encroachments coming up on mangrove and forest land.

100
Approx. no. of structures on the mangrove land in Kopri