Mangrove cells’ new website to register plaints

Mumbai: The mangrove cell has finally come up with a new website for registering complaints related to destruction and reclamation of mangroves. Citizens can now file their grievances on the newly introduced portal, and check for updates on action being taken on the matter. Officials believe that this will help bring in more transparency in dealing with mangrove-related issues.

The move came after the Bombay high court directed the state government to constitute, within one month, a committee for the protection and preservation of mangroves. “The state government has constituted a high-level committee. Citizens can now lodge their complaints and action has to be initiated within two days of the complaint being registered,” said an official from the state mangrove cell.

Citizens can lodge complaints through the website www.konkanmangroves.com. The toll-free number 1926 has also been started for receiving mangrove-related complaints. The committee is headed by the Konkan division commissioner. The committee will look into destruction of mangroves in districts including Mumbai, Mumbai suburban, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratn-agiri and Sindhudurg among others. The committee will also work on a proper surveillance system.