Authorities in western India have arrested a man under suspicion of illegally dumping waste and destroying mangroves.
As reported by the Times of India, police in Thane performed the arrest following an official complaint lodged by a city official. The city has previously seen an increase in illegal dumping operations.
According to police, over four hectares near the Ugreshwar Temple at Ganesh Ghat were affected by the alleged illegal dumping. The region is known as a restricted development zone, which is often put in place to protect natural resources or historical sites.
A police officer spoke to the Times of India regarding the investigation into the illegal dumping. "The investigation revealed unauthorized landfilling activities in a protected coastal zone," the officer said. "Officials documented extensive leveling of the mangrove area and construction of boundary walls within the protected ecosystem."
Illegal dumping in India has significantly impacted vulnerable regions throughout the country. This has led to soil and water contamination, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. In a recent study, researchers noted that "waste generation rate in India has increased rapidly with the proliferation of the total population and fast urbanization."
The introduction of massive amounts of waste into ecosystems can upset the delicate balance of plant and animal life, potentially leading to the decline or displacement of native species. The World Bank estimated that over two billion tons of waste are produced every year across the globe. By 2050, that number could grow to nearly three and a half billion tons a year.
This growing illegal dumping concern has caused activists to sound the alarm regarding the protection of valuable natural resources in India. Environmentalist Stalin Dayanand has urged local authorities to act on numerous illegal dumping operations in eastern Thane that may endanger nearby mangroves.
"The dumping has reached levels where the high-tension power lines on the plot have come within touching distance," Dayanand wrote, per Mid-Day. "We have already filed cases for about 14 sites in Thane that fall in [Coastal Regulation Zones] and are subject to massive dumping of waste and debris."
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