Save Mumbai from an ecological disaster
- by: Syed Tanveeruddin
- recipient: Supreme Court, President, PM, MoEF, Maha Guv, CM, Forest Dept, BMC,
Last Update: Sat, April 24, 2010 09:20 hrs Indian Std. Time
http://www.petitiononline.com/mangomum/
http://www.petitiononline.com/mumbai07/
Choking Mangroves - An ecological disaster awaits Mumbai as slums proliferate all along its creeks, killing invaluable mangroves - Photo Times of India April 17, 2010 CHOKING MANGROVES GREEN CITY
80% of mangrove areas in India, Southeast Asia lost over 60 years
Standing on the terrace of his residential complex at Link Road, Harish Pandey points to the two kilometre-long slum settlement snaking through the lush green mangroves adjoining Gorai creek.
Around 8,000 illegal shacks have come up along the 10km creek in the past decade, cutting through the verdant mangroves. "The Gorai creek will become another Mithi river in a few years' time," says Pandey.
The Mithi River flowing through Mumbai made it to the headlines, unfortunately, as its course was diverted by the Airport Authority of India to construct a runway.
Over the years, slums proliferated on both sides of the bank, choking what was essentially a storm water drain for the city. But no lessons have been learnt.
In the last decade alone, around 10,000 hectares of mangroves are estimated to have been systematically destroyed along the Mumbai coast. The city is slowly paying the price %u2014 be it in rise in atmospheric pollution, severe water logging or floods.
The major creeks and rivers that flow around the island city - be it Gorai creek, Vasai creek or Thane creek %u2014 are crucial outlets that protect the city from possible floods; its wetlands have 65 sq km of verdant mangroves which act as organic ramparts for the creek.
More importantly, the mangroves are natural purifiers, reducing atmospheric and water pollution besides preventing erosion of the fragile coast. Mangroves are also a haven for marine life, hosting a rich ecosystem of several species of plants and animals.
"The latest destruction of mangroves is going to take place in Panvel for the proposed Navi Mumbai International airport," rues Debi Goenka of the Conservation Action Trust.
It was Goenka's PIL that prompted the Bombay High Court in 2005 to designate all mangroves as private forests. The court directed that any cutting of mangroves would attract stringent punishment under the Environment Protection Act.
"But the court order has not made much of an impact, it has only slowed down the process," says Goenka. "Many of our developers and civic planners still think mangroves are some wild shrubs of little value," he adds.
"The cutting of mangroves continues unabated and the width of all creeks has shrunk simultaneously," says Rishi Agarwal, secretary of the Mangrove Society of India (Mumbai chapter).
"This violation is done along with a nexus of local politicians, civic officials and real estate mafia," he says.
The Ganpat Patil Nagar slum settlement along Link Road in Dahisar is a classic example. It has now grown to be one of the largest slum pockets, after Dharavi, claiming more than 50 hectares of mangroves.
The modus operandi is simple. Kaccha roads, which go deep into the mangrove forests, are first created. The roads then encircle the mangroves and block the inter-tidal water entering the area, gradually choking the ecosystem.
Over the years, shacks come up on these barren lands and are given on rent by slum lords. "In a few years' time, a slum rehab scheme is proposed and the slum dwellers are displaced. It is anybody's guess that the developer who constructs multi-storey towers is very much part of the elaborate game plan," says Harish Pandey whose IC Colony New Link Resident Forum has been fighting to stop mangrove destruction at Ganpat Patil Nagar.
Beyond Mumbai limits, the destruction is more rampant. "In Vasai and Thane creek alone, 2,000 acres have been destroyed in the past five years.
Last month, the police arrested 120 people, including the brother of the mayor of the Mira %u2013 Bhayander municipal council, as 300 acres of mangroves were destroyed in Vasai creek," says D Stalin, project coordinator, Vasai creek.
The massive destruction can be stopped if only more and more residents come forward and adopt mangroves in their neigbhourhood and file complaints with the local police, say environmentalists.
As environmentalist Sumiara Abdulali puts it, "Mumbaikars should realize that protecting mangroves is like protecting your own lives."
Saving the anchors
Mangroves are salt tolerant plants of tropical & subtropical intertidal regions of the world, creating highly productive but extremely sensitive ecosystems
Major Indian mangrove ecosystems are in Sunderbans of Bengal (the world%u2019s biggest mangrove forest), followed by Andaman-Nicobar Islands & Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat
Mangroves protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge (especially during hurricanes), and tsunamis
Their massive root system dissipates wave energy and slows down tidal water to the extent that its sediment is deposited as the tide comes in, leaving back all except fine particles during ebb
http://timesfoundation.indiatimes.com/articleshow/44171098.cms
Save The Mangroves (A project initiated by Times Foundation in Mumbai)
"If there are no mangrove forests, then there will have no meaning. It is like having a tree with no roots, for the mangroves are the roots of the sea."
Growing in the inter-tidal areas and estuary mouths between land and sea, mangroves provide critical habitat for a diverse marine and terrestrial flora and fauna. Healthy mangrove forests are key to a healthy marine ecology. The best of mangroves are found in Asia, especially in India and Bangladesh.
The main culprit in the destruction of mangroves is Man. To achieve supremacy over Nature, human beings have destroyed this magnificent ecosystem almost irreparably. Land reclamations and industrial effluents are the major causes for mangrove degradation.
The western bank of the Thane creek is the single largest mangrove belt in Mumbai. The Vikhroli Mangrove Park in Mumbai, where around 30 species of birds are found during winter, enhances the unique quality of this place.
Why should we protect mangroves?
Mangroves are buffers between the land and sea and hence they protect the land from erosion.
They are land builders.
They harbour a variety of life forms like invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and even mammals like tigers.
Mangroves are the main source of income generation for shoreline communities like fisher folk.
Sustaining a coastal city: Approach to Save Mumbai Mangroves
http://www.wli-asia-symposium.com/pre/pre25_w3.pdf
Mumbai in 1843
The present city was originally made from seven small islands, composing mostly of mangrove forests and marshland dissected by rivers, streams and the sea. Fishing villages and settlements of the Koli and Aagri tribes developed on these islands. The first attempt of reclamation was made near the Worli island in 1770. However, largescale reclamation only started after 1840.
Mumbai in 1890
The British undertook land-filling and draining of the marshlands, developing a modern port and city, which attracted migrant workers from across India. In the 19th century, Mumbai emerged as an important centre of international commerce, industry and culture. Most of the reclamation was complete by 1930s.
Mumbai in 1990
The Mumbai needed to develop rapidly in the post independence times. The reclamation of Salsette islands started in 1950's and reclamation in minor areas still continues. The twin city of Navi Mumbai was created in 1970's by reclaiming large patch of mangroves on the eastern banks of Thane creek, a very large creek in the region.
Mumbai- A bird%u2019s eyeview
Despite being the most populated city in Asia and with burgeoning population of over 14 million people, Mumbai still survives on ecological grounds. Thanks to the 103 sq. km. Sanjay Gandhi National Park with three major fresh water lakes and several smaller freshwater wetlands and the mangroves along its periphery.
IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES FOR MUMBAI
Mumbai is a reclaimed island with powerful wave action along its entire shoreline. The wave action has increased by 14.7 knots in the North Western area and has eroded the 16 km long coastline by 500 mts in the past 35 years. Only mangroves can provide a natural control of eroding shoreline and increasing tidal amplitude due to global warming.
Over 100 thousand fisher folks are directly dependent on fisheries resources around Mumbai. Mangroves provide livelihood for them by breeding and nursing the fish, prawns, mollusks, crabs, etc.
Coastal biodiversity including the million migratory birds that visit Mumbai are housed by the mangroves.
Mumbai is one of the most populated city in the world with major space crunch. Only 0.03 acres of open space available per 1000 population. Against 12 acres in London and 4 acres in New York and 6 acres in Singapore.
Challenges to mangroves in Mumbai
Land reclamation - Most industrial houses, developers, builders are reclaiming the mangrove lands illegally.
Pollution - There are over 200 non point sources of industrial and domestic waste discharges that pollute entire water around the city - 6 times more than the assimilation capacity.
Under the name of "development" creeks, rivers and other water bodies are altered in shape, size and course.
Every year, over 1000 tons of mangrove wood is cut for fuel wood and to meet other timber demands.
Government efforts to protect mangroves
Legislation- Mangroves are protected legally under the following Acts in Mumbai:
Maharashtra Tree Act of 1984.
Environment Protection Act 1986
Coastal Regulatory Zone Notification of 1991
Forest Conservation Act 1980
Public Efforts to safeguard Mangroves in Mumbai
The first effort to save the region%u2019s mangroves was made in 1984 when BEAG, an NGO successfully protested a mangrove forest being converted to industrial zone in Alibaug-Murud region. The Mangrove Conservation initiatives were sketchy till 1996.
The organisations like BEAG, BNHS, WWF, HOPE, SAVE and Times Foundation along with some dedicated individuals started a SAVE MANGROVE campaign soon after the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India wherein, mangroves received a status of "Forests".
Public Efforts to safeguard Mangroves in Mumbai BEAG filed a PIL in the High Court of Mumbai in the year 2005 and were able to convince the court to pass strict orders to protect them.
The government now proposes to create a mangrove park with a participatory approach. The proposed mangrove park may be created on the government land or mangrove areas vested with private entities on which mangroves are being systematically destroyed. The proposed Park is being created to organise the efforts to save Mumbai from an ecological disaster.
Mangrove species may perish in a decade: global study The Hindu, Sat, April 24, 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/24/stories/2010042456081800.htm
80% of mangrove areas in India, Southeast Asia lost over 60 years
Several among the 70 known species of mangroves are at high risk of extinction and may disappear well before the next decade if protective measures are not enforced, warns the first global study by U.S. researchers.
Eleven of these have been placed on the red list of threatened species kept by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The study, led by Beth A. Polidoro attached to the Global Marine Species Assessment unit based at Old Dominion University, Virginia, shows that about 80 per cent of the mangrove areas in India and Southeast Asia have been lost over the past 60 years.
In India alone, over 40 per cent of the mangrove area on the west coast has been destroyed for aquaculture, agriculture, coastal development and urban development.
Disappearing at 2%-8%
The global mangrove area loss since 1980 stands at between 20 and 35 per cent. The areas are disappearing at 2-8 per cent per year and the rates are expected to continue unless mangrove forests are protected as a valuable resource, says the study recently published in PloS One, journal published by the Public Library of Science.
In addition, 40 per cent of the animal species that are restricted to mangrove habitat are at an elevated risk of extinction due to extensive habitat loss.
Given the accelerating rate of loss, mangrove forests may at least functionally disappear in around 100 years, the study states.
Mangrove forests are the economic foundations of many tropical regions providing at least $1.6 billion per year in ecosystem services worldwide.
It is also estimated that almost 80 per cent of the global fish catches are directly or indirectly dependent on mangroves. These are provided by mangroves, occupying only 0.12 per cent of the world's total land area.
Implementation of conservation plans for mangroves have largely been done in the absence of species-specific information, says the study. Tree felling, aquaculture and overexploitation of fisheries in mangrove areas are expected to be the greatest threats to mangrove species over the next 10-15 years.
Unlike other forests, mangrove forests consist of a relatively few species with 30-40 in the most diverse sites. Another big threat to mangroves is climate change, says the study.
Conclusion
Why should we protect/save mangroves?
Mangroves are buffers between the land and sea and hence they protect the land from erosion.
They are land builders.
They harbour a variety of life forms like invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and even mammals like tigers.
Mangroves are the main source of income generation for shoreline communities like fisher folk.
Mangroves are salt tolerant plants of tropical & subtropical intertidal regions of the world, creating highly productive but extremely sensitive ecosystems
Major Indian mangrove ecosystems are in Sunderbans of Bengal (the world%u2019s biggest mangrove forest), followed by Andaman-Nicobar Islands & Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat
Mangroves protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge (especially during hurricanes), and tsunamis
Their massive root system dissipates wave energy and slows down tidal water to the extent that its sediment is deposited as the tide comes in, leaving back all except fine particles during ebb
India has the lowest ratio of open space to people in the world - a mere four acres per 1,000 of population, compared to the global benchmark of 12 acres.
In Mumbai, this falls to a paltry 0.2 acres, and after accounting for slums, it diminishes to a measly 0.03 acres.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This petition's been addressed to the Hon'ble Supreme Court, President, Prime Minister / PM, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests / MoEF, Union Ministry of Urban Development / MoUD, Maharashtra Governor / Guv, Chief Minister Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation / BMC and Maharashtra Forest Department.
Last Update: Sat, April 24, 2010 09:20 hrs Indian Std. Time
http://www.petitiononline.com/mangomum/
http://www.petitiononline.com/mumbai07/
Choking Mangroves - An ecological disaster awaits Mumbai as slums proliferate all along its creeks, killing invaluable mangroves - Photo Times of India April 17, 2010 CHOKING MANGROVES GREEN CITY
80% of mangrove areas in India, Southeast Asia lost over 60 years
Standing on the terrace of his residential complex at Link Road, Harish Pandey points to the two kilometre-long slum settlement snaking through the lush green mangroves adjoining Gorai creek.
Around 8,000 illegal shacks have come up along the 10km creek in the past decade, cutting through the verdant mangroves. "The Gorai creek will become another Mithi river in a few years' time," says Pandey.
The Mithi River flowing through Mumbai made it to the headlines, unfortunately, as its course was diverted by the Airport Authority of India to construct a runway.
Over the years, slums proliferated on both sides of the bank, choking what was essentially a storm water drain for the city. But no lessons have been learnt.
In the last decade alone, around 10,000 hectares of mangroves are estimated to have been systematically destroyed along the Mumbai coast. The city is slowly paying the price %u2014 be it in rise in atmospheric pollution, severe water logging or floods.
The major creeks and rivers that flow around the island city - be it Gorai creek, Vasai creek or Thane creek %u2014 are crucial outlets that protect the city from possible floods; its wetlands have 65 sq km of verdant mangroves which act as organic ramparts for the creek.
More importantly, the mangroves are natural purifiers, reducing atmospheric and water pollution besides preventing erosion of the fragile coast. Mangroves are also a haven for marine life, hosting a rich ecosystem of several species of plants and animals.
"The latest destruction of mangroves is going to take place in Panvel for the proposed Navi Mumbai International airport," rues Debi Goenka of the Conservation Action Trust.
It was Goenka's PIL that prompted the Bombay High Court in 2005 to designate all mangroves as private forests. The court directed that any cutting of mangroves would attract stringent punishment under the Environment Protection Act.
"But the court order has not made much of an impact, it has only slowed down the process," says Goenka. "Many of our developers and civic planners still think mangroves are some wild shrubs of little value," he adds.
"The cutting of mangroves continues unabated and the width of all creeks has shrunk simultaneously," says Rishi Agarwal, secretary of the Mangrove Society of India (Mumbai chapter).
"This violation is done along with a nexus of local politicians, civic officials and real estate mafia," he says.
The Ganpat Patil Nagar slum settlement along Link Road in Dahisar is a classic example. It has now grown to be one of the largest slum pockets, after Dharavi, claiming more than 50 hectares of mangroves.
The modus operandi is simple. Kaccha roads, which go deep into the mangrove forests, are first created. The roads then encircle the mangroves and block the inter-tidal water entering the area, gradually choking the ecosystem.
Over the years, shacks come up on these barren lands and are given on rent by slum lords. "In a few years' time, a slum rehab scheme is proposed and the slum dwellers are displaced. It is anybody's guess that the developer who constructs multi-storey towers is very much part of the elaborate game plan," says Harish Pandey whose IC Colony New Link Resident Forum has been fighting to stop mangrove destruction at Ganpat Patil Nagar.
Beyond Mumbai limits, the destruction is more rampant. "In Vasai and Thane creek alone, 2,000 acres have been destroyed in the past five years.
Last month, the police arrested 120 people, including the brother of the mayor of the Mira %u2013 Bhayander municipal council, as 300 acres of mangroves were destroyed in Vasai creek," says D Stalin, project coordinator, Vasai creek.
The massive destruction can be stopped if only more and more residents come forward and adopt mangroves in their neigbhourhood and file complaints with the local police, say environmentalists.
As environmentalist Sumiara Abdulali puts it, "Mumbaikars should realize that protecting mangroves is like protecting your own lives."
Saving the anchors
Mangroves are salt tolerant plants of tropical & subtropical intertidal regions of the world, creating highly productive but extremely sensitive ecosystems
Major Indian mangrove ecosystems are in Sunderbans of Bengal (the world%u2019s biggest mangrove forest), followed by Andaman-Nicobar Islands & Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat
Mangroves protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge (especially during hurricanes), and tsunamis
Their massive root system dissipates wave energy and slows down tidal water to the extent that its sediment is deposited as the tide comes in, leaving back all except fine particles during ebb
http://timesfoundation.indiatimes.com/articleshow/44171098.cms
Save The Mangroves (A project initiated by Times Foundation in Mumbai)
"If there are no mangrove forests, then there will have no meaning. It is like having a tree with no roots, for the mangroves are the roots of the sea."
Growing in the inter-tidal areas and estuary mouths between land and sea, mangroves provide critical habitat for a diverse marine and terrestrial flora and fauna. Healthy mangrove forests are key to a healthy marine ecology. The best of mangroves are found in Asia, especially in India and Bangladesh.
The main culprit in the destruction of mangroves is Man. To achieve supremacy over Nature, human beings have destroyed this magnificent ecosystem almost irreparably. Land reclamations and industrial effluents are the major causes for mangrove degradation.
The western bank of the Thane creek is the single largest mangrove belt in Mumbai. The Vikhroli Mangrove Park in Mumbai, where around 30 species of birds are found during winter, enhances the unique quality of this place.
Why should we protect mangroves?
Mangroves are buffers between the land and sea and hence they protect the land from erosion.
They are land builders.
They harbour a variety of life forms like invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and even mammals like tigers.
Mangroves are the main source of income generation for shoreline communities like fisher folk.
Sustaining a coastal city: Approach to Save Mumbai Mangroves
http://www.wli-asia-symposium.com/pre/pre25_w3.pdf
Mumbai in 1843
The present city was originally made from seven small islands, composing mostly of mangrove forests and marshland dissected by rivers, streams and the sea. Fishing villages and settlements of the Koli and Aagri tribes developed on these islands. The first attempt of reclamation was made near the Worli island in 1770. However, largescale reclamation only started after 1840.
Mumbai in 1890
The British undertook land-filling and draining of the marshlands, developing a modern port and city, which attracted migrant workers from across India. In the 19th century, Mumbai emerged as an important centre of international commerce, industry and culture. Most of the reclamation was complete by 1930s.
Mumbai in 1990
The Mumbai needed to develop rapidly in the post independence times. The reclamation of Salsette islands started in 1950's and reclamation in minor areas still continues. The twin city of Navi Mumbai was created in 1970's by reclaiming large patch of mangroves on the eastern banks of Thane creek, a very large creek in the region.
Mumbai- A bird%u2019s eyeview
Despite being the most populated city in Asia and with burgeoning population of over 14 million people, Mumbai still survives on ecological grounds. Thanks to the 103 sq. km. Sanjay Gandhi National Park with three major fresh water lakes and several smaller freshwater wetlands and the mangroves along its periphery.
IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES FOR MUMBAI
Mumbai is a reclaimed island with powerful wave action along its entire shoreline. The wave action has increased by 14.7 knots in the North Western area and has eroded the 16 km long coastline by 500 mts in the past 35 years. Only mangroves can provide a natural control of eroding shoreline and increasing tidal amplitude due to global warming.
Over 100 thousand fisher folks are directly dependent on fisheries resources around Mumbai. Mangroves provide livelihood for them by breeding and nursing the fish, prawns, mollusks, crabs, etc.
Coastal biodiversity including the million migratory birds that visit Mumbai are housed by the mangroves.
Mumbai is one of the most populated city in the world with major space crunch. Only 0.03 acres of open space available per 1000 population. Against 12 acres in London and 4 acres in New York and 6 acres in Singapore.
Challenges to mangroves in Mumbai
Land reclamation - Most industrial houses, developers, builders are reclaiming the mangrove lands illegally.
Pollution - There are over 200 non point sources of industrial and domestic waste discharges that pollute entire water around the city - 6 times more than the assimilation capacity.
Under the name of "development" creeks, rivers and other water bodies are altered in shape, size and course.
Every year, over 1000 tons of mangrove wood is cut for fuel wood and to meet other timber demands.
Government efforts to protect mangroves
Legislation- Mangroves are protected legally under the following Acts in Mumbai:
Maharashtra Tree Act of 1984.
Environment Protection Act 1986
Coastal Regulatory Zone Notification of 1991
Forest Conservation Act 1980
Public Efforts to safeguard Mangroves in Mumbai
The first effort to save the region%u2019s mangroves was made in 1984 when BEAG, an NGO successfully protested a mangrove forest being converted to industrial zone in Alibaug-Murud region. The Mangrove Conservation initiatives were sketchy till 1996.
The organisations like BEAG, BNHS, WWF, HOPE, SAVE and Times Foundation along with some dedicated individuals started a SAVE MANGROVE campaign soon after the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India wherein, mangroves received a status of "Forests".
Public Efforts to safeguard Mangroves in Mumbai BEAG filed a PIL in the High Court of Mumbai in the year 2005 and were able to convince the court to pass strict orders to protect them.
The government now proposes to create a mangrove park with a participatory approach. The proposed mangrove park may be created on the government land or mangrove areas vested with private entities on which mangroves are being systematically destroyed. The proposed Park is being created to organise the efforts to save Mumbai from an ecological disaster.
Mangrove species may perish in a decade: global study The Hindu, Sat, April 24, 2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/24/stories/2010042456081800.htm
80% of mangrove areas in India, Southeast Asia lost over 60 years
Several among the 70 known species of mangroves are at high risk of extinction and may disappear well before the next decade if protective measures are not enforced, warns the first global study by U.S. researchers.
Eleven of these have been placed on the red list of threatened species kept by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The study, led by Beth A. Polidoro attached to the Global Marine Species Assessment unit based at Old Dominion University, Virginia, shows that about 80 per cent of the mangrove areas in India and Southeast Asia have been lost over the past 60 years.
In India alone, over 40 per cent of the mangrove area on the west coast has been destroyed for aquaculture, agriculture, coastal development and urban development.
Disappearing at 2%-8%
The global mangrove area loss since 1980 stands at between 20 and 35 per cent. The areas are disappearing at 2-8 per cent per year and the rates are expected to continue unless mangrove forests are protected as a valuable resource, says the study recently published in PloS One, journal published by the Public Library of Science.
In addition, 40 per cent of the animal species that are restricted to mangrove habitat are at an elevated risk of extinction due to extensive habitat loss.
Given the accelerating rate of loss, mangrove forests may at least functionally disappear in around 100 years, the study states.
Mangrove forests are the economic foundations of many tropical regions providing at least $1.6 billion per year in ecosystem services worldwide.
It is also estimated that almost 80 per cent of the global fish catches are directly or indirectly dependent on mangroves. These are provided by mangroves, occupying only 0.12 per cent of the world's total land area.
Implementation of conservation plans for mangroves have largely been done in the absence of species-specific information, says the study. Tree felling, aquaculture and overexploitation of fisheries in mangrove areas are expected to be the greatest threats to mangrove species over the next 10-15 years.
Unlike other forests, mangrove forests consist of a relatively few species with 30-40 in the most diverse sites. Another big threat to mangroves is climate change, says the study.
Conclusion
Why should we protect/save mangroves?
Mangroves are buffers between the land and sea and hence they protect the land from erosion.
They are land builders.
They harbour a variety of life forms like invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and even mammals like tigers.
Mangroves are the main source of income generation for shoreline communities like fisher folk.
Mangroves are salt tolerant plants of tropical & subtropical intertidal regions of the world, creating highly productive but extremely sensitive ecosystems
Major Indian mangrove ecosystems are in Sunderbans of Bengal (the world%u2019s biggest mangrove forest), followed by Andaman-Nicobar Islands & Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat
Mangroves protect coastal areas from erosion, storm surge (especially during hurricanes), and tsunamis
Their massive root system dissipates wave energy and slows down tidal water to the extent that its sediment is deposited as the tide comes in, leaving back all except fine particles during ebb
India has the lowest ratio of open space to people in the world - a mere four acres per 1,000 of population, compared to the global benchmark of 12 acres.
In Mumbai, this falls to a paltry 0.2 acres, and after accounting for slums, it diminishes to a measly 0.03 acres.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This petition's been addressed to the Hon'ble Supreme Court, President, Prime Minister / PM, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests / MoEF, Union Ministry of Urban Development / MoUD, Maharashtra Governor / Guv, Chief Minister Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation / BMC and Maharashtra Forest Department.
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