Navi Mumbai: In a major environmental breakthrough, a four-hectare stretch of buried mangroves in Vashi has been restored, marking what is likely the first such effort in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). This achievement is credited to the persistent efforts of the forest department.
Scores of truckloads of debris dumped over the mangroves at Survey No. 17 in Vashi village, near the railway station, have been cleared. The forest department has been systematically removing debris, with each truckload being sent out for disposal.
"This is the first time that a mangrove burial site is being restored in the MMR," said NatConnect Foundation, which, alongside several NGOs, has been campaigning to protect tidal plants.
Despite a Bombay High Court judgment in September 2018 mandating mangrove conservation, no significant efforts had been made to restore destroyed sites, noted NatConnect director B.N. Kumar.
“There are several locations in MMR—such as Uran, Ulwe, Kharghar, the Sion-Panvel Highway, and Chembur—where we have raised concerns about mangrove destruction. However, we have yet to see concrete restoration efforts for these vital sea plants, which act as frontline defenders against coastal erosion,” lamented Nandakumar Pawar, head of Sagar Shakti.
Interestingly, mangroves have shown a remarkable ability to rejuvenate naturally without human intervention. Pawar pointed out that in areas like Pagote, where debris was dumped on mangroves under the erstwhile NMSEZ, tidal waters eventually submerged the landfill, allowing the mangroves to regrow on their own.
A Call for Awareness and Sustainable Development
Range Forest Officer Sudhir Manjare has invited nature enthusiasts to visit the restored site in Vashi.
Meanwhile, NatConnect has proposed a mangrove walk zone at the site before new plants take root. This initiative could serve as an educational trail, raising awareness about the importance of mangroves as carbon sinks, breeding grounds for fish and crabs, and natural filters for pollutants.
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has been considering a Mangrove Park, which Kumar suggests could be developed at the Vashi site itself. He proposed building a wooden trail alongside the plantation process, ensuring smooth execution without disturbing the regenerating mangroves.
Drawing from past experiences, Kumar noted that constructing the Gorai-Dahisar mangrove trail was a complex task, as extra precautions were required to avoid damaging existing tidal plants. However, at Vashi, starting the project before the mangroves grow would make the process significantly easier.
Currently, NMMC plans to develop the Mangrove Park along the Ghansoli-Airoli stretch, a move that environmentalists argue could disturb existing dense mangrove patches.