Forest secy asks Thane collector to take action

Officials from Thane forest division visited spot on Tuesday and found dumpers and JCB machines there, but no work was on.

MBMC has undertaken drainage work outside its sewage treatment plant at Jesal Park in Bhayander.

The forest secretary Tuesday asked the Thane collector to take action against any dumping on mangroves at Jesal Park in Bhayander owing to the ongoing drainage work by the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) in the area. Recently, the Bombay High Court (HC) had banned reclamation and construction on wetlands across the state, and an earlier order bans dumping within 50 m of mangroves.

“I have asked the Thane collector to check if dumping is going on in mangrove areas at Jesal Park. The mangroves in this area are under the jurisdiction of the Thane collector. They are yet to be notified as ‘reserved forests’, after which they will come under the mangrove cell’s jurisdiction,” said Praveen Pardeshi, principal secretary (forests).

Newsline had on Monday reported that the MBMC has undertaken drainage work outside its sewage treatment plant at Jesal Park, and that dumping was observed close to the mangroves.

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Officials from the Thane forest division visited the spot on Tuesday and found dumpers and JCB machines there, but no work was on. “The area was dug up for the drainage work. The contractor said 550 m were dug up so far. Dumping was observed within 20-25 m of the mangroves at one spot,” said Y P Mohite, assistant conservator of forests, Thane division.

Meanwhile, the MBMC commissioner Suresh Kakani said he would also seek a report of the alleged violation in the area from civic officials. “I will ask the civic engineer to visit the site and check for violations and take necessary action based on the report. As per the latest High Court order, the Thane collector is supposed to visit the Jesal Park area and submit his report to the court. We are also awaiting his visit,” said Kakani.

anjali.lukose@expressindia.com

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