Navi Mumbai

‘Panvel creek will become Mithi river’

The historic Panvel (or Ulve) creek gets special mention in the Bombay Gazette records. Centuries ago the creek used to have pearls on its sandy bed and was a focal point of trade and commerce with Persia. Today, the creek is mined for a different kind of treasure—its dark sand—and this could soon transform the creek into an ugly, black canal.

The dark sand dredged is used in construction activity, say environmental activists. Miners have been dredging the creek for years together and storing the sand on dry docks on both sides of the creek, which is considered a Coastal Regulation Zone. The sand is reportedly sold to builders in and around Navi Mumbai. The 7-km-long creek passes through Taloja, Panvel and Ulve, before entering the sea at Belapur.

A senior official with the Thane collectorate said that the administration has been vigilant in the area after receiving complaints about the illegal activity. “We have penalised 214 trucks and recovered penalties worth Rs 24.63 lakh from offenders carrying unauthorised excavated sand last year,’’ the official said.

But residents say the illegal activity continues with the help of local godfathers. “The creek has been exploited to the hilt as the transportation costs are at a minimum, but a great ecological damage has been done over the years,’’ said P B Menon, a resident who lives near the creek. Swati Park residents have undertaken a signature campaign to stop the illegal activity and even filed a PIL on the issue. “We feel the creek will become another Mithi river in a few years’ time. That is when Navi Mumbai will see more floods,’’ Menon said.

Activists say that more than sand mining, it is the dumping of debris on both sides of the creek that is slowly killing the creek. “Truckloads of debris are being carried along the creek and pucca roads are being made to dump the debris on the banks. On both sides of the creek, there are huge mounds of sand as high as two-storey buildings which is periodically dredged from the creek,’’ Menon said.

He said that even at the mouth of the creek near the new bridge connecting Belapur and Panvel, debris is being dumped over mangroves and new embankments are slowly being created to extend the dry docks.

Source: indiatimes.com

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