Navi Mumbai: FIR Filed For Mangrove Destruction In NRI Coastal Area After 6-Month Delay Following Activists' Complaints

Navi Mumbai: The circle officer of Thane Tehsil on September 17 registered a case against unidentified persons for destruction of mangroves in NRI coastal area.The case was registered after six months of activists complaining about rampant destruction of mangroves present before the TS Chanakya, Nerul. The case was registered under section 15 (1) of the Environment (protection) Act 1986.

According to the activists, this is the second police complaint registered in relation to mangrove destructions happening in the city. The first complaint in a similar matter was registered on January 16, this year when over 150 odd mangroves were destroyed in December 2023. The cases were registered after the activists- Advocate Pradeep Patole and Sunil Agarwal- made their complaints on the Mangrove Suraksha App.

After the complaint was made in the month of March, in the month of April an inspection was conducted by the mangrove grievance redressal committee comprising of forest officers, representatives from Thane Tehsil office, CIDCO. They ascertained that the complaint was indeed true and a report about the findings and the action taken was submitted with the Tehsildar and Executive Magistrate office, Thane on September 19.

After the FIR was finally lodged after six long months, activists are questioning the delay. According to them, this delay could cause a problem in identifying the culprits by the police. "Instead of identifying the culprits when the beneficiary of the cutting of mangroves is known to everyone who has been allotted this land by CIDCO for construction of 17 residential towers, filing of FIR against unknown person that also after delay of 6 months really doesn't serve any purpose. The culprits go unpunished despite this being second instance of mangroves cutting in same area," said the complainant in the matter Sunil Agarwal.