TMC to deploy drones to digitally map mangrove belt in Thane

10 October, 2018

Thane: The municipal corporation will now keep an aerial vigil over the mangrove belt along the Thane coastal belt to keep check on the mafia involved in its alleged destruction. The decision to deploy drones for mangrove surveillance and also digitally mapping the mangrove belt in Thane was taken by municipal commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal at a review meeting on Monday. The meeting was held following the Bombay High Court recently ordering stern steps to be taken against those found tampering with the mangroves.

Jaiswal said that a special committee will be formed to analyse the damage done to the green cover since 2005 and appropriate investigations and police case will be filed against the perpetrators.

“The committee headed by additional municipal commissioner 2 Sameer Unhale will function parallel to the one operational under the leadership of Konkan divisional commissioner and will take action on all structures that have come up within 50m of mangroves that are spread over minimum 1,000sqm area,” he said.

It may be noted that the corporation had recently come under the fire from green activists after it was found that the contractor deployed for constructing its ambitious Gaimukh waterfront project had allegedly destroyed mangroves. A police case was also filed by the Thane revenue department after a complaint by activist Rohit Joshi.-

A special committee will be formed to analyse the damage done to the green cover since 2005 and appropriate investigations and police case will be filed against the perpetrators. The committee will take action on all structures that have come up within 50m of mangroves that are spread over minimum 1,000sqm area

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com