Navi Mumbai
Six arrested for destroying mangroves in Vashigaon
As many as six suspects have been detained in a joint operation by the Vashi Police and the Mangrove Protection Cell of the forest department in Navi Mumbai on Monday for allegedly destroying mangroves on a large area of about three hectares near the Vashi Creek and then encroaching on the land where they had built hutments and rented them out to slum dwellers. Senior police inspector for Vashi Ramesh Chavan stated, “The Range forest officer Sudhir Manjare had registered a complaint at Vashi police station on Sunday alerting them that a significant area of mangroves had been damaged in Vashigaon and wanted police protection to conduct a raid.
As a result, we offered police protection on Monday during the operation, during which six suspects were detained. The six accused belong to the Sutar, Bhoir, and Patil families and are local citizens. The NMMC anti-encroachment department would demolish the slum dwellers’ encroachment on the mangrove zone in Vashigaon on Wednesday, according to Inspector Chavan. According to documents obtained by sources, the letter sent to the JMFC court in Belapur on November 8 by the office of the Range Forest Officer, Mumbai Mangroves Conservation Unit, Navi Mumbai, states that up to 10 people have engaged in mangroves destruction and illegal debris dumping at survey numbers 17 and 840 at Turbhe, where 3.88 hectares has been encouraged upon by the accused and they are conducting fishing activity and crab farming in addition to seizing property.
The paper also states that the accused has allegedly damaged 10,888 mangrove plantations on 2.54 hectares of mangrove land. “The Mangrove Cell personnel have showed some spine and moved against this big land grab on mangrove zone,” said BN Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation. The infringement has been occurring for a while, and we actually reported about it back in June 2020 when the passage of the tide water was being obstructed. Instead of allowing the infraction to spread out across such a vast region of over three hectares, it should have been stopped in its tracks.”
Since these illegal activities occur at night, Kumar said, “It’s about time the mangrove protection cell installed CCTV camera surveillance with night vision. To stop such environmental crimes, a full-fledged control room supported by a fast response team is urgently needed. Only six of the 10 suspects, including two women, were shown before the JMFC court in Belapur on Tuesday, according to Sudhir Manjare, RFO, Navi Mumbai. In accordance with section 64 of the Indian Forest Act, the magistrate granted them personal bond bail.
Latest News
Morbe Dam Water Storage Reaches 75.66%, Easing Supply Concerns
Steady monsoon downpours boost primary water reservoir for Navi Mumbai residents.
The Storage
In a major relief for Navi Mumbai residents, water levels at the Morbe Dam the primary drinking water source for the region have reached 75.66% of its total capacity, following consistent monsoon showers across its catchment area in Khalapur.
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) officials confirmed that the rising water levels significantly reduce concerns over potential water cuts or supply disruptions in the coming months. The steady inflow has ensured a secure drinking water buffer for over 15 lakh residents across the city.
While the current stock is sufficient to meet daily demand well into early next year, civic engineers noted that sustained heavy downpours are still required for the reservoir to hit 100% capacity and overflow. NMMC continues to monitor catchment rainfall closely to optimize seasonal storage reserves.
Latest News
Navi Mumbai Crime Branch Busts Industrial Theft Syndicate, Four Arrested
Police crack multiple factory break-in cases across industrial belts, recover stolen machinery and heavy equipment.
The Theft
In a major breakthrough, the Navi Mumbai Police Crime Branch has dismantled an organized criminal syndicate involved in a series of industrial thefts across the city’s manufacturing belts, including the TTC MIDC area. Four key members of the gang have been arrested following targeted raids driven by technical intelligence and tip-offs.
The gang specifically targeted locked or minimally guarded industrial units and godowns during off-hours. After breaking into these premises, the suspects stole high-value raw materials, industrial cables, metal components, and machinery parts to sell illegally in the scrap market.
During the operation, police recovered stolen industrial goods and heavy equipment alongside vehicles utilized by the syndicate to transport the looted property. Crime Branch officials confirmed that these arrests have successfully solved several pending theft and burglary cases registered across local police stations, providing much-needed relief to local factory owners and manufacturers.
Latest News
Illegal Structures Under NMMC Scanner in Major Enforcement Drive
Civic body launches demolition drive and serves notices to curb unauthorized developments across Navi Mumbai.
The Structures
In a strong bid to enforce urban planning norms and safeguard public land, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has intensified its crackdown on illegal structures across several ward offices. The civic administration has launched targeted demolition drives and issued show-cause notices to halt unapproved construction activities across the city.
Following directives from the Bombay High Court regarding unauthorized developments, NMMC officials have taken strict action against hundreds of illegal structures. Show-cause notices have also been served to civic personnel under whose jurisdiction these unsanctioned developments reportedly flourished.
Armed with heavy machinery, anti-encroachment squads are pulling down illegal reinforced concrete (RCC) structures, unauthorized hutments, and encroached spaces built without required planning permissions or in violation of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act.
NMMC administrators have instructed ward officers to maintain strict monitoring, conduct regular site inspections, and initiate immediate punitive action against fresh encroachments to preserve the planned character of Navi Mumbai.
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