Thane: Video exposes land mafia’s role in dumping of debris on wetlands

The spot where garbage and debris are being dumped at Kolshet in Thane

A video showing garbage being dumped and burnt in broad daylight near a mangrove patch close to Kolshet in Thane sheds light on the threat faced by the district's wetlands. The clip was shot by a nature lover last month.

According to environmentalists, the land mafia is destroying mangroves and wetlands in the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) near the Kolshet pipeline road. In the video, one can also see construction debris entering the nearby Thane creek. Environmentalist Rohit Joshi, who has been fighting to save wetlands and mangroves in Thane, said, "Many dumpers from Mumbai are entering Thane with construction debris, which is dumped in the wetlands, mangroves and CRZ areas at Kolshet, Kalva, Diva and Mumbra.

This illegal activity by the land mafia is leading to large-scale destruction and the damage done will be irreversible. Shockingly, the authorities are turning a blind eye to this destruction." According to some locals from the area, the debris dumping is carried out in a systematic way with not just the intention of land grabbing but also renting out and selling off the land once it is levelled.

"First, they dump the debris on the wetlands and mangroves and slowly the area is levelled before renting it out to garage units, dhabas and scrap dealers. The authorities should just compare the satellite images of the Kolshet and adjoining areas with the old satellite images and they will clearly see the destruction that has happened," a local from Kolshet said.

On June 17, mid-day carried a story ‘Mangroves and wetlands near Ulhas River under siege' which highlighted how as climate change intensifies, the need to protect mangroves and wetlands has never been more urgent. However, in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's district, near the river and alongside the Mumbai-Nashik highway, government agencies appear to be overlooking the issue of extensive illegal dumping on wetlands and mangroves.