dna had reported on Tuesday how Pradip Patade, a marine life enthusiast who has been documenting the marine life in and around Mumbai, saw the oil-soaked mangroves close to the tanker parking area just before the jetty and raised an alarm by sending a letter to the state forest department's mangrove cell.
A day after dna highlighted the threat to mangroves at Sewri jetty, which have been covered up to three feet with oil, officials from the mangrove cell along with the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) visited the site on Tuesday, decided to file a police case and prohibit parking of oil tankers on the road leading to the jetty. The are is infamously known as Ghaslet Bunder.
dna had reported on Tuesday how Pradip Patade, a marine life enthusiast who has been documenting the marine life in and around Mumbai, saw the oil-soaked mangroves close to the tanker parking area just before the jetty and raised an alarm by sending a letter to the state forest department's mangrove cell.
Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) and head of mangrove cell, N Vasudevan, informed that his staff carried out a detailed inspection of the site. "Our staff, including Range Forest Officer (RFO) JB Padwal, visited the area along with the officials of MPCB and MbPT. Several measures were decided upon and we will be following it up to ensure that the mangroves remain safe," he said.
The officials said since the oil has spread in a patch of 30-40 meters, prima facie it appears that one of the several tankers parked in the vicinity could have dumped the oil into the mangrove side. One of the locals even claimed that he himself saw a tanker releasing oil in the mangrove patch close to the jetty road.
"MbBPT has informed that they will file a police complaint against the unknown tanker for destroying the mangroves and will also barricade the area, thus prohibiting parking of tankers close to the jetty. Apart from this, several boats that have been hoarded close to the jetty and create nuisance for flamingos who come during the low tide to feed, have also been asked to move out," said RFO Padwal, adding that they will be following up the case till all the steps recommended and discussed during Tuesday's site visit were implemented.
In fact even MPCB official present during the site inspection asked MBPT to ensure the oil and effluents on the road left by tanker is cleared and mangroves in the area be rejuvenated.
Meanwhile, lauding the efforts of the mangrove cell, Patade said Sewri has been declared an important Bird Area (IBA) as it witnesses the largest congregation of lesser flamingos every year. "Not allowing the tankers to be parked close to the road leading to jetty as well as asking the boats that are supposed to be docked only during the monsoon is a step in the right direction," he said.
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