CIDCO’s alleged lack of interest in safeguarding the mangroves belt of the city has once again come to the forefront in a report filed by the Mangrove protection and conservation monitoring committee.

In a letter addressed to the sub division office of Panvel taluka level, the member secretary acknowledged the complaints raised by an activist about the damage caused to mangroves due to debris dumping in Navi Mumbai. 

The letter was in response to a complaint filed by Adv. Pradip Patole on the mangrove protection app with regards to large scale destruction of mangroves due to debris dumping.

The complaint was made by the advocate on January 28.

On February 4, the  Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mangrove Cell   Mangrove Protection & Conservation Monitoring Committee, sought for a repeated investigation in the matter. In the letter it is stated that the allocation of  coastal land to the Marine Board by CIDCO without obtaining the necessary legal documents and approval from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA),  has caused significant harm to marine biodiversity. 

“My original complaint was closed by the sub divisional officer,  Taluka-Level Mangrove Protection & Conservation Committee, stating that there was no mangrove destroyed. However, the deputy conservator of forests, upon further verification by the office of Mangrove cell there were issues found and re-investigation has been sought,” said the complainant Advocate Patole.

According to the satellite mapping from 2005 and 2018, as well as the current status, the complaint area falls under a mangrove zone, and it is located within a 50-meter buffer zone. “Thereby , action under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, was deemed necessary,” said Patole.