MUMBAI: The Malwani police have refused to register an FIR on mangroves being destroyed along the Madh-Marve road.
"Instead, they merely gave us an acknowledged copy of our complaint," said Nicholas Almeida who, along with a few other people, went to the police station on Saturday.
Residents of areas along the Madh-Marve road claimed that road contractors, engaged by the BMC and MMRDA, indiscriminately dumped debris on the mangroves, destroying the green cover.
Chief engineer of BMC's roads department G M Agarwal, however, denied the allegation. "We are seeking permission from the forests department to cut down the mangroves along a certain section of the road so that it could be widened. If the sanction is not granted, we will not widen the road," he said. Agarwal added though the contractors had been issued work orders to improve the road as well as to widen it, the latter was yet to start.
Residents, however, produced photographs to show how debris had been dumped. Environmentalist Rishi Agarwal said though the Environment Protection Act and a Bombay high court order of 2005 mandate that mangrove areas were protected forest land, the police were usually reluctant to register an FIR. "In the past seven years, not a single FIR has been filed willingly by the police," he said. Advocate Godfrey Pimenta said, "The October 2005 government notification prohibits any construction within a 50-m radius of mangrove tracks," he said.
ACP Jaywant Hargude said an inquiry would be held into the matter.
"Instead, they merely gave us an acknowledged copy of our complaint," said Nicholas Almeida who, along with a few other people, went to the police station on Saturday.
Residents of areas along the Madh-Marve road claimed that road contractors, engaged by the BMC and MMRDA, indiscriminately dumped debris on the mangroves, destroying the green cover.
Chief engineer of BMC's roads department G M Agarwal, however, denied the allegation. "We are seeking permission from the forests department to cut down the mangroves along a certain section of the road so that it could be widened. If the sanction is not granted, we will not widen the road," he said. Agarwal added though the contractors had been issued work orders to improve the road as well as to widen it, the latter was yet to start.
Residents, however, produced photographs to show how debris had been dumped. Environmentalist Rishi Agarwal said though the Environment Protection Act and a Bombay high court order of 2005 mandate that mangrove areas were protected forest land, the police were usually reluctant to register an FIR. "In the past seven years, not a single FIR has been filed willingly by the police," he said. Advocate Godfrey Pimenta said, "The October 2005 government notification prohibits any construction within a 50-m radius of mangrove tracks," he said.
ACP Jaywant Hargude said an inquiry would be held into the matter.
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