We have heard of vehicles and other movable properties go missing from public places, but have we heard of a pond be stolen or made to disappear?
This is what exactly happened in Versave village near Ghodbunder, where villagers are desperately searching for an age-old pond, which mysteriously disappeared more than four years ago.
Massive dumping of debris and reclamation by the owners of a plush hotel in the vicinity has sounded the death knell of the water body, which was not only capable of producing hundred million litres of valuable potable water but also had the capacity of recharging the receding water table.
Interestingly the plush hotel is owned by an influential political leader who has tremendous clout over the BJP governed, Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).
As per an entry inked in the official land extract records of the revenue department, the pond was spread in an area of around 8,000 square meters located in survey number 90 of Versave village falling under the jurisdiction of the MBMC.
The water body which has been identified as a pond had been reclaimed for commercial exploitation villagers who have been filing complaints and even staging protests since 2016, to stop the destruction citing the area was a natural wetland.
However, the complaints have fallen on the deaf ears of the civic and district administration that has apparently chosen to play blind to the illegal activities. The matter found its place in the charter of demands made by activists of the Shramjeevi Saghatana who led by Vivek Pandit staged a peaceful morcha to register their protest against the civic and government apathy towards a host of issues on Tuesday.
