The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been directed to remove the debris and garbage from the nallah near Mithi river within 10 days.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been directed to remove the debris and garbage from the nallah near Mithi river within 10 days.
While hearing a public interest litigation, a division bench comprising chief justice Mohit Shah and justice Roshan Dalvi asked the corporation to clear the nallah, which is in the direction of Vakola.
The court has also asked MMRDA to consider erecting two walls, 250 meters in length, between the encroachment and mangroves at the northern and southern ends.
Jagdish Gandhi, a social activist, had filed a PIL seeking the clearing of the encroachment on the river bed, and restoration of water bodies. He had alleged that there was rampant dumping of debris and garbage in the Mithi river, adversely affecting the mangroves.
Gandhi has also challenged the construction of a 300-metre retention wall built on the Mithi River between the river and the mangroves.
A three-member expert committee set up by the high court has recommended the demolition of the wall. The committee consisted of Avinash Kubal of the Maharashtra Nature Park, Samir Mehta, the South Asia Director of International Rivers, and Dr Goldin Quadros of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The committee suggested that the entire RCC wall between the river and the mangroves should be removed to ensure free flow of tidal waters to the mangroves.
Instead, the committee said, the wall should be transferred to another position between the housing colony and mangroves.
Justice Dalvi wondered how people managed to dump garbage in that section when there was an intervening wall. Gandhi explained that it was on account of the retention wall built towards the west bank, and a service road constructed along it. The northern and southern sides were open, and the iron gates on the service road were broken.
Another recommendation of the committee was the setting up of a security system to prevent the destruction of mangroves, and the restriction of projects harmful to the ecosystem.
Advocate for MMRDA Kiran Bagali stated that the agency was only a project-implementing authority, and that they did not have the machinery to remove encroachment or provide security for the area.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}