Now Reading: Bombay HC orders removal of encroachments from Kandivli pond
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Bombay HC orders removal of encroachments from Kandivli pond
The Bombay High Court has directed the district collector of Mumbai suburbs to remove all encroachments next to a natural pond in Sector 7, Charkop, Kandivli (West) without favouring anyone. A bench…
The Bombay High Court has directed the district collector of Mumbai suburbs to remove all encroachments next to a natural pond in Sector 7, Charkop, Kandivli (West) without favouring anyone. A bench led by Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge on August 14 said the administration should act without being influenced by any person, however high a position they may hold.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had sought the court's permission for beautification and conservation of the pond due to the presence of mangroves. The collector stated in an April 13 affidavit that notices have been issued to encroachers and steps to remove encroachments and clear the area will be taken within six weeks from October 1.
The judges directed that after removal of encroachments, mangrove saplings will be planted. They will monitor progress to ensure the affidavit is not an 'eye-wash'. The court allowed BMC to proceed with beautification but ordered it to ensure the ecological balance of the pond and mangroves is not disturbed.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This case is the latest in a series of judicial interventions to reclaim water bodies in Mumbai from encroachment. Under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act and the Environment Protection Act, district collectors have the power to evict illegal occupants. The six-week timeline from October 1 is significant: it puts the onus on the collector to act before the onset of winter, when mangrove planting is most viable. The court's warning against showing favour to any person, however high, signals that political clout will not be tolerated. The outcome will set a precedent for dozens of similar disputes across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, where nearly 30% of the city's original water bodies have been lost to construction. Watch for the collector's compliance report after November 12.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
