Thane: Kharghar wetlands turn into debris dump destinations, environmentalists appeals committee to intervene

Environmentalists have appealed to the Bombay High Court-appointed wetlands committee to check the non-stop destruction of wetlands at Kharghar and save biodiversity.

NatConnect Foundation director, B N Kumar said, "The wetland is home to several species of birds and even the BNHS has been conducting studies here.

It is sad to see Navi Mumbai wetlands coming under attack in a systematic manner."

Kumar appealed to the wetland committee to intervene and stop the destruction.

"The wetland near Sanjivani School and L M Hostel at sector 19 in Kharghar has been targeted by the debris mafia for quite some time with no officials doing anything about it" said activist Naresh Chandra Singh.

Kharghar, in fact has become the destination for debris and garbage dumping for construction contractors from other parts of Navi Mumbai, bird watcher Jyoti Nadkarni regretted.

Nature lovers and bird watchers are now forced to mutely become debris watchers, Kumar said in a sarcastic way.

It is difficult to imagine the officials are unaware of this dumping that has been going on so brazenly, in broad daylight, Singh said.

Kumar said this is only the tip of the iceberg. “We have observed encroachment and debris dumping on mangroves and wetlands in many other parts of Kharghar as well. In fact, we have noticed a drain directly leading into the creek, off Vastu Vihar."

Environmentalists from Navi Mumbai pointed out that this could well be the case of a Mithi of Navi Mumbai.