According to a state government report, there has been an 80% drop in cases of mangrove destruction in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) from 2015 to 2016. However, activists have criticised the survey, pointing to the fact that no one has been convicted of destroying mangroves since 2013.
The report, by the Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit, a body constituted by the Bombay High Court that works under the state mangrove cell, says that in 2015-16, there were a total of 103 cases in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. Sixty-six were encroachment related, 23 were debris dumping, and 14 were hacking and burning cases on government land.This dropped to 18 cases in 2016-17 — 12 encroachment related and six debris dumping. “Majority of the cases were observed in Mumbai suburbs and very few were reported from Thane or Navi Mumbai,” said Makarand Ghodke, assistant conservator of forest, Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit. “Awareness among citizens has increased. At the same time, the unit is taking suo motu action against violators.”
Preliminary offence reports were filed in all cases over the past two years, the report added. As compared to 38 arrests in 2015, 20 people were nabbed in 2016. However, all were released on bail and not a single conviction has happened in mangrove destruction cases since 2013, with the inception of the state mangrove cell. The unit seized 12 vehicles involved in debris dumping, of which eight have been confiscated by the state while hearings are underway for the remaining four. “While there are many unidentified persons involved in mangrove destruction, local courts are yet to hear a number of cases in the coming months. We hope for the first conviction soon, which will set an example for violators,” said Ghodke.
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