Aaditya Thackeray claims bogus mangrove replanting, seeks halt to tree felling for coastal road

MUMBAI: (Mar 18) Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday alleged that authorities were carrying out bogus replanting and compensatory afforestation, and demanded halt to the felling of mangroves for the Versova- Bhayandar Coastal Road in North Mumbai.

Raising the issue in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, Thackeray said a joint committee of the House should visit the sites where mangroves are to be cut and where the government has claimed to have replanted the trees removed for the project.

The former state environment minister also sought an inquiry commission to probe the matter, alleging that Forest Department officials were "misleading" the Bombay High Court (which has passed orders in the matter), the forest minister, and civil society regarding the status of mangrove plantations.