A day after severe water logging in Mumbai, environmentalists have pointed their fingers towards the mud-fill and concretisation that has been happening inside the Aarey forest area, on the banks of Mithi River. During July 16, rainfall, waterlogging was reported at multiple areas inside the Aarey forest.
The environmentalists and experts have said that due to the continuous land-filling that is being done for developmental works; the floodplains have ceased to exist, which eventually has lead to an increase in flooding inside the forest and its adjoining areas.
According to Amrita Bhattacharya, environmentalist and member of the Aarey Conservation Group, the flooding inside the Aarey forest have started to intensify deliberately after 2018.
"Mud-filling of the 33 hectare land started during the construction of the proposed Metro car-shed in 2018. Large part of this land used to be the catchment area of Mithi River and a smaller part, used to be a floodplain. Over the years, land-filling have continued and now the 33 hectare plot have been filled with mud completely, because of this, water cannot drain outside, which eventually leads to increased flooding every year," Bhattacharya told FPJ on Saturday
She also said that, alongside the filling activities, debris is also being dumped on the sides of the Mithi River.
Stalin Dayanand - environmentalist and director of NGO - Vanashakti have said that there is no floodplain left in the city now, due to which the water overflows inside the city.
"There are four rivers in Mumbai but over the years all the floodplains have been lost. The agencies have been building walls across these plains to ensure that water doesn't run out. But this whole method is flawed, because of these walls, the water gets stagnant in one place and is later overflowed," said Dayanand, adding that the Mithi River is not left with any more estuaries.
Meanwhile, the civic officials blamed the high tide and the filling of the Tulsi Lake behind the heavy flooding inside the Aarey forest area.
"A significant proportion of desilting works were been carried out from the Mithi River in last one year, this reduced the possibility of heavy flooding, also there was a high tide in the river, that also be played a key role in flooding inside the forest area," said the official.
