On Friday evening during the visit, environment secretary Malini Shankar was present along with several Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials and policemen. Both Kadam and Thackeray visited the site where dumping was carried out to block tide water and appreciated the work done by BMC K/West Ward officials.
Even as environment minister Ramdas Kadam and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray visited the Yari Road mangroves second time this week to inspect the ongoing demolition and debris removal, active residents from the area have decided to go one step ahead and prepare a citizens-led proposal with the help of experts to protect the mangroves of Versova, Lokhandwala and Oshiwara.
"We are planning to prepare a detailed report with the help of well-known architect PK Das. We will give a presentation to Kadam as well as Thackeray in another 15 days. We want to ensure that the mangroves remain safe. So the proposal has plans of fencing and boardwalks, good lighting around, and vigilance exercises," said Ashoke Pandit, filmmaker, activist and chairman of Save Open Spaces (SOS).
On Friday evening during the visit, environment secretary Malini Shankar was present along with several Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials and policemen. Both Kadam and Thackeray visited the site where dumping was carried out to block tide water and appreciated the work done by BMC K/West Ward officials.
Highlighting how active citizens can help save mangroves, Thackeray said, "It's good to see that Yari Road citizens did not simply sit and watch mangroves being destroyed in their backyard but raised their voice. It is the duty of every citizen to be vigilant. I have already spoken with the environment minister about how we need to take the destruction of mangroves seriously, and he agrees."
Thackeray further said he was ready to support the citizens' movement to save mangroves and was willing to visit places where there was a threat, so as to provide full political support to officials and authorities. He also promised that he will re-visit the Yari Road site after two weeks.
BMC on Friday had completed demolitions and had also begun the removal of debris, opening the channel that brought tide water inside the mangrove areas. Shashi Ranjan, president of the New Yari Road Residents Association, said, "The visits and the action by authorities has been very encouraging. Now even citizens have faith in the system. As a group, we will remain vigilant and will try to involve more locals to protect mangroves here."
Meanwhile, residents have also demanded increased patrolling by cops as well as BMC staffers to ensure that encroachments don't make a comeback.
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