unplanned constructions are responsible for flooding in Mumbai
every year after heavy rains, say environment activists and
town planners.
Mangroves absorb excess water but they are being
destroyed in Mumbai in the guise of infrastructure
development, city-based environmentalist Debi Goenka told PTI.
“Destruction of mangroves has definitely been one of
the major causes of flooding, since the land reclaimed from
mangroves is now blocking the rain water from flowing out into
the sea. The capacity of mangroves to absorb flood water has
also reduced,” he said.
The biggest problem today is that government agencies
which are responsible for the protection of mangroves are busy
“destroying them in the guise of infrastructure development”,
he claimed.
“To construct a road, transmission lines, or a freight
corridor, the natural infrastructure – mangroves – provided to
us free of cost by nature is being destroyed,” he rued.
“We need to seriously review our priorities in this
era of climate change, global warming and sea level rise. Do
we need more roads or do we need to keep the mangroves
intact?” Goenka said.
Similar concerns have also been raised by agencies
like the Mangrove Society of India (MSI), which in its 2019
report stated that 75 cases of mangrove destruction have been
reported on Maharashtras coast line, of which the maximum
share is of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The society has been documenting and conducting
various researches on mangroves since 1990 across the country.
“When it comes to destroying mangroves in the name of
some development work, there is never an alternative or any
plan to compensate it. The approach of the government or other
agencies is- it”s a waste land,” an official from MSI said.
They completely ignore the fact that destruction of
such land or the vegetation will have some consequences on our
lives, the official said.
Town planner Sulakshana Mahajan said Mumbai does
receive excess rains, but with some use of technology,
solutions can be sought.
“Mangroves play a vital role in reducing floods and
the corrosion of land from sea waves. But, someone needs to
understand it and work accordingly, she said.
She said there is technology available which can
simulate the impact of a proposed construction at a particular
site and help in understanding possible problems it may lead
to.
But, the government and political forces choose to
ignore such approach and simply go ahead with constructions,
she said.
Mangroves sequester carbon, provide oxygen, clean
the sewage, absorb heavy metals, provide breeding grounds for
fish and other biodiversity, and also protect the land from
extreme climatic events. Can we afford to keep cutting our
mangroves? I think not, Goenka said.
He said the damage being caused to the natural
drainage systems, and “ill-planned” projects such as
BRIMSTOWAD (Brihanmumbai Storm Water Disposal) are actually
making the flood situation worse.
“The Bandra Kurla Complex is a classic example of what
should never have been allowed,” he added. PTI ND
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Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited by Outlook staff and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: PTI
