Destruction of mangroves cause yearly Mumbai floods: Experts

MUMBAI: The yearly floods that accompany the monsoon rains in Mumbai are caused by the destruction of mangroves and unplanned constructions in and around the city. The observation has been made by environmentalists and city planners. Mangroves absorb excess water but they are being destroyed in Mumbai in the guise of infrastructure development, said Debi Goenka, city-based environmentalist. He added, “Destruction of mangroves has definitely been one of the major causes of flooding, since the land reclaimed from mangroves is now blocking the rain water from flowing out into the sea. The mangroves to absorb flood water has also reduced.” The problem is that the organisations which are responsible for the protection of these mangroves are the same ones who are busy destroying them in the guise of development and progress, claimed Goenka. 

He warned that in this time of climate change and global warming, we need to seriously review out priorities. The choice between conservation of natural infrastructure and development of modern infrastructure must be made now. 

The Mangrove Society of India (MSI) had also raised similar concerns and in its 2019 report had stated that 75 cases of mangrove destruction have been reported along Maharashtra’s coast line. The maximum share of these cases comes from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The MSI has been documenting and conducting various researches on mangroves in India since 1990. 

According to an official from MSI, whenever it comes to destroying mangroves in the name of some development work, there is never an alternative or some way of compensating for the loss in their numbers. The approach of the government and other agencies is that it is simply a ‘waste land’. This leads to blatant disregard for their importance and the fact that their destruction will affect human life in some way or the other. 

Sulakshana Mahajan, town planner, said that Mumbai does receive excess rain. However, with the use of some sophisticated technology, solutions can be sought. She added that mangroves play a vital role in reducing floods and the corrosion of land from sea waves. But, the government needs to understand it and work accordingly. Adding that there is technology available which can simulate the impact of a proposed construction at a particular site and help in understanding possible problems it may lead to, she said that the government and political forces continue to ignore it.