The alleged connivance of the land mafia and senior government officials has reduced a 50-year-old wetland of 4.5 acres at Charkop in Kandivli West to 1,000 sq ft, as encroachers have opened garages and godowns to store soft drinks as well as restaurants, eateries, tea and paan-bidi stalls. Recently, civic officials razed a few encroachments, but encroachers still fearlessly rule the roost.

Locals have also alleged that the land mafia dumped debris and earth to fill the lake. Protection and regeneration of this wetland after the removal of encroachers is of paramount importance in the larger interest of Charkop residents; more so, in the light of prevalent large scale environmental degradation and pollution, an activist has stated.