Illegal encroachment must be foiled on war footing

The mangrove cell demolishes the illegal godown in Gorai

The mangrove cell of the forest department has intensified its drive against illegal structures on mangrove land. Recently, a huge godown that had come up at the Vichare compound in Gorai was demolished. Soon, close to 70 structures will be similarly razed, according to a report in this paper.

Officials have claimed that action has been taken against unauthorised structures on mangrove land in the city and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Illegal shanties built after felling mangroves have also been demolished. Green activists have been highlighting the issue of illegal encroachment on forest and mangrove land repeatedly.

While the action taken by the mangrove cell is welcome and its reassurance that patrolling will be done at certain sites may be good, it is important to go to the crux of the matter: allowing encroachment to take root and then multiply. Then, when things get out of hand or are red-flagged by activists, the official machinery starts churning. By then, a significant amount of damage has been done; and then, it is a matter of playing catch up with the encroachers.

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We have to start responding to unauthorised construction much faster and in fact plug up the loopholes that allow illegal commercial enterprises and shanties to come up in the first place. The authorities must trace the root of this malaise and then prise it out of the ground altogether. This will take great will and focus, but it can be done.

It seems like a merry-go-round currently. Encroachments come up on mangrove land. Green activists flag them. Officials finally swing into action. Then, they are demolished. Care has to be taken that they do not come up again. We need to stem the rot at the starting point itself.