Click to play videoMumbai: It has been an endless fight for the residents of Malad and activist Avisha Kulkarni. They are out to save the mangroves of Malad creek.
Saturday morning turned into a nightmare when tons of debris were dumped in these mangroves.
The dumping violated the Bombay High Court order preventing the dumping of debris in and around 100 metres of the mangrove area. When the residents tried to stop the truck drivers they were beaten and asked to leave.
"We went there and tried to find out what was happening. Two members of the mafia had been stationed there. When I tried to shoot what was happening, they hit me and broke my camera. But they didn't stop the dumping," says Shiv Kumar, a resident.
The Malad police when approached for help passed the buck claiming that this operation by the builder and his men was approved by the collector and that they were helpless following the collector's order.
"When went to the police station and told them that the High Court has given us the order, of which we have a copy. The police said that the collector has given the permission and so, they cannot stop the dumping," says Avisha Kulkarni, a mangrove activist.
As for the builder Salim Sheikh, he seemed to be unaffected by the court's order and firm on his intentions. When approached, he simply objected and refused to comment.
The dumping of debris clearly shows that despite the High Court's order, the builder and the police seems to be working independantly of the order.
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