Mumbai: The Bombay HC on Friday directed the commissioner of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and forest conservation officer to remain present before the court in the first week of March and explain why illegal destruction of mangroves in different areas in Thane could not be stopped. The division bench was headed by Chief Justice Manjula Chellur.
According to petitioner Iraqi Arif Nawaz’s lawyer, the petition was filed after authorities did not take action despite several complaints. The court was informed that Mr Nawaz first lodged complaints with the government authorities like the Thane collector; Tehsildar, Konkan division; Maharashtra coastal zone management authority, in April 2014. The petitioner claimed that when he started following up on the status of his complaints, it allegedly turned out that most of them were hand-in-glove with locals and politicians who were illegally destroying mangroves.
He has also claimed that Mumbra is situated between two hills due to which the area could get flooded leading to possible loss of life.
