A video showing garbage being dumped and burnt in broad daylight near a mangrove patch close to Kolshet in Thane sheds light on the threat faced by the district’s wetlands. The clip was shot by a nature lover last month.

According to environmentalists, the land mafia is destroying mangroves and wetlands in the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) near the Kolshet pipeline road. In the video, one can also see construction debris entering the nearby Thane creek. Environmentalist Rohit Joshi, who has been fighting to save wetlands and mangroves in Thane, said, “Many dumpers from Mumbai are entering Thane with construction debris, which is dumped in the wetlands, mangroves and CRZ areas at Kolshet, Kalva, Diva and Mumbra.