Navi Mumbai-based activists are outraged that a wetland and mangrove are being allegedly buried to make way for a container parking lot at Khopte in Uran. NatConnect Foundation has sent an urgent email to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who quickly directed Raigad district collector to look into the issue. Collector Dr Mahendra Kalyankar, who is the acting Konkan divisional commissioner, also heads the High Court appointed mangrove and wetland committees.

Nandakumar Pawar, president of Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fish Workers Union, said, “A 150-metre long and 15-metre wide patch has been illegally buried. The mafia, which is responsible for this uses such landfills for parking and collects money, again illegally.” NatConnect director BN Kumar claims that in a similar violation earlier at nearby Dhutum, a vast mangrove zone was buried and a huge parking lot was made.