Mumbai: Sand mafia caught plundering Panvel river in daylight

Boats fitted with suction pumps, in Kasadi river near Panvel

The ban on sand mining notwithstanding, illegal dredging in Kasadi river near Panvel is going on in full swing, a green activist has alleged. Nandkumar Pawar, who has been fighting to protect water bodies and mangroves, said the violation is being committed with impunity. Pawar has filed a complaint against the illegalities with the Mangrove Cell and the Chief Minister's Office. The plundering comes at a time when activists are trying to check the flow of untreated industrial waste into the water.

Pawar, who heads the NGO Shree Ekvira Aai Pratishthan, said, "It is shocking to see that despite a ban, illegal mechanised sand dredging is happening in Kasadi river. What is also shocking is the fact that this is happening in broad daylight. Many boats are engaged in the same belt and sand is being excavated through suction pumps." The government had imposed the ban in 2010.

The activist said illegal excavation of sand poses a huge threat to coastal biodiversity. "Huge quantities of sand can be excavated within a few hours with the help of automatic machines and suction pumps. Often, the river bed and its top layer is dredged which is the most fertile ground for fish and other marine life to feed and breed," Pawar said.

Activists said mechanised dredging in the stretch of the river where it joins a creek deepens its bed and can uproot mangroves on its banks. Mangroves are crucial to the area's ecology as they provide a natural mechanism for flood and pollution control. "The illegal sand dredging is carried out by local sand mafias, political leaders and goons with political backing," he alleged.

Mechanised boats can dredge a large amount of sand in very little time

Activists say Kasadi used to be one of the most polluted rivers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region or MMR because of untreated effluent discharge from factories at Taloja MIDC. After much effort by green crusaders, the river is now clear of pollution to a great extent. This has resulted in a rise in fish population and return of migratory birds. Activists also feel that the river has good potential to be declared a marine sanctuary.

Pawar added, "We hope the CM takes note of the illegal sand mining and instructs officials to take corrective action. An FIR must be registered against the culprits. The government should also seize all dredgers involved in the operation."

The ban on sand mining was imposed in 2010

‘Will need to go through the complaint first'
An officer from the Mangrove Cell of the Forest Department said, "We will have to look into the complaint before commenting. However, if sand mining is taking place in Kasadi river, then it's not in our jurisdiction. The Revenue Department has the power to take the action."

2010
When the sand mining ban came into force