Activists up in arms over delay in demarcating 50-metre buffer in mangroves

Activists and members of the New Link Road Residents Forum (NLRRF) have begin to question the delay in initiating demarcation of the 50-metre buffer zone in and around Ganpat Patil Nagar, which has grown to be the biggest illegal slum pocket of the Western suburbs and was created after systematically destroying large swathes of mangroves.

It was in September this year that the Bombay High Court ordered for the protection of mangroves and setting up of a 50-metre buffer zone around such mangrove plots across the State.

Harish Pandey, President of NLRRF- a group, which has been fighting to protect the mangroves in and around Dahisar link road said that their forum has already decided that if the delay in demarcating the buffer continues they will have no option but to file a contempt petition.

"As per our information the Mangrove Cell has already surveyed the entire mangrove area and given details of the land including the areas in which Mangroves were present according to the satellite maps of year 2005 and based on this there has to be buffer demarcation. However we do not understand the delay by BMC and Collector's office," said Pandey adding that once the buffer is demarcated the work of not only protection of the existing mangroves can begin but also final decision on removal of illegal encroachments as well as rehabilitating the legal tenements too can be initiated.

Members of NLRFF, which had itself provided satellite maps to BMC indicating the extent of destruction caused by Ganpat Patil Nagar also said that while there is delay in demarcating the buffer and removal of encroachment, destruction of mangroves is continuing unabated on a daily basis.

A senior official from Maharashtra Mangrove Cell informed that the work of demarcating the buffer was the responsibility of BMC as well as deputy collector (encroachment removal). "Almost a month and half back our staff has carried out a detail marking on the land infront of BMC staff and even shown them exact location of the mangrove cover as per the 2005 satellite map," said the official.

Meanwhile an official from Collector's office said that they have received instructions from the Collector and will co-ordinate with BMC official to begin the work.

Satellite maps of Ganpat Patil Nagar in 2005 and 2012

Ganpat Patil Nagar:

An RTI indicated that there were only 404 hutments prior to year 1995 and only 1068 built between then and year 2000 but today there are more than 20,000 structures at Ganpat Patil Nagar, which continue to grow at an alarming rate destroying mangroves. Till date no one has an idea of how many hutments exist as most have been created after dumping debris on mangroves.

UP IN ARMS

• Harish Pandey, Prez of NLRRF, said that their forum has already decided if the delay in demarcating the buffer continues, they will have no option but to file a contempt petition   
   
• He further added that the demarcation will help to take a decision on the removal of illegal encroachments & rehabilitation of legal tenements