The Mangrove Cell of the state will soon hold a drive aimed at removing nearly 1,500 encroachments in the mangrove area. This drive will begin from November end or December first week. According to senior officials, all the permissions from the state government in this regard have been received. Notices too have been sent to all these encroachments.
The cell has identified nearly 3,500 such encroachments in the mangrove land in the city. The decision to demolish the encroachments was taken in September itself. However, no demolition was initiated in September owing to the monsoon season.
“As of now we will demolish close to 1,500 encroachments. These demolitions will be done in phases,” said N. Vasudevan, chief conservator of forest of mangrove cell.
“The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms have come into effect in 1991, mandating restoration of the mangroves to their pre-1991 status. But there have been incidents of violations and the Bombay High Court in 2005 had issued directives for avoiding further violation of the Environment Protection Act, 1986,” Mr Vasudevan added.
In 2015, over 2,000 notices had been issued to encroachments in Colaba and Cheetah Camp in Chembur, of which 384 structures that had come up on mangroves land in Colaba were demolished.
