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Illegal parking haunts Dahisar wetland again

The petition against the authorities who have failed to not only restore the wetland but also could not keep it encroachment-free

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Environmentalists and residents of Dahisar Link Road who fought a long battle to save 15 acres of wetland, which was being used for illegal parking of tourist buses, are now planning to file a contempt of court petition. The aggrieved people are mulling to file the petition against the authorities who have failed to not only restore the wetland but also could not keep it encroachment-free.

It was under the directions of the Bombay High Court hearing, a PIL filed in 2013 and several months of constant follow-ups by members of New Link Road Residents Forum (NLRRF), that a joint operation was launched in February 2016. 

The BMC, the police and the suburban collector's office not only vacated around 350 buses which were parked illegally but also cleared the garages and paver block manufacturing units in the area. 

However, the joy of the residents was shortlived. Only six months after the exercise, buses started thronging to the wetland again. 

“Despite lodging several complaints about the improper restoration, including that of the waterbodies which existed till 2005, nothing has happened. Even now, several buses are parked illegally in the area. The authorities are not even bothered. In fact, the Tehsildar's office has stopped taking our complaints seriously. Now, we have no other option but to approach the court again,” said Harish Pandey, president of NLRRF. Since the authorities did not protect the land, all efforts made by the citizens and environmentalists — some of whom even put their lives at risk fighting to save the land — has been wasted. 

A senior official from Mangrove Cell said, “It is the responsibility of police as well as BMC and Tehsildar to ensure that the buses are not parked illegally.” Meanwhile, cops at MHB police station said they were unaware of any illegal parking issue in the wetlands and assured that immediate action would be taken if anybody files a complaint.

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