A shocking environmental report based on satellite imagery has revealed the large-scale destruction of vital mangrove forests in the coastal districts of Maharashtra. The study, commissioned by environmental groups, alleges that a total of 160 acres of mangroves have been illegally destroyed across the districts of Raigad, Thane, and Palghar due to debris dumping and encroachment.
Satellite Evidence Points to Widespread Damage
The technical study, conducted by Mahapreit ERAF and Geoinfo Services, used satellite mapping to document the encroachments. The findings show a blatant violation of protective orders from the Bombay High Court. Palghar district suffered the maximum loss, with 78.99 acres of mangroves destroyed. This was followed by Raigad, where 53.71 acres were damaged, and Thane, where 28.26 acres were encroached upon.
Leading the charge is environmentalist D Stalin, a member of the Bombay High Court-appointed state wetlands committee and head of the NGO Vanashakti. He stated that the satellite imagery clearly marks the encroached areas in red, providing undeniable proof. "The actual damage to the environment is much more," Stalin emphasized, pointing out that thousands of acres of illegally reclaimed wetlands remain undocumented.
CRZ Violations and Government Inaction Under Fire
Activists have accused the state government of taking mangrove and wetland protection lightly. A prime example cited is the conversion of more than 4 acres of a Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) area near the NMMC head office in Belapur, Navi Mumbai. This land was first turned into a cricket ground, and now the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) plans to build a super-speciality hospital on the site and adjoining space.
While cricket enthusiasts are protesting the loss of the ground, environmentalists warn that this sets a dangerous precedent, making other CRZ areas in the three districts vulnerable. NMMC Commissioner Kailas Shinde, when previously contacted about the hospital plan, indicated the matter is sub-judice due to litigation involving various parties.
Ecological Warnings and Calls for Restoration
Environmentalists have issued stern warnings about the consequences of continued mangrove destruction. They state that the loss of these natural coastal buffers can lead to massive flooding and other ecological disasters, severely impacting human settlements in the coming years.
Nandakumar Pawar, president of the Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fish Workers Union, highlighted ongoing destruction, citing recent incidents at Dadarpada in Pen taluka (Raigad) and the green coast of Panje in Uran taluka. The green activists have collectively urged the government to not only prosecute those responsible but also to immediately begin restoration work on these ecologically critical areas to avert a future crisis.
