Human Rights Commission Closes Malad Dumping Complaint After Demolitions And FIRs
The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) has closed a complaint regarding illegal dumping and environmental destruction behind P-3 Studio at Patharewadi, near the Marina Enclave Complex in Malad (West), Mumbai. The Commission ruled that local authorities had taken adequate enforcement actions, including registering criminal cases and demolishing unauthorised structures.
The original complaint, filed in October 2024, alleged that continuous dumping of debris, rubble, and solid waste, along with burning activities, was taking place on the land. The complainant claimed that agricultural land, shrubs, mudflats, swamps, a natural pond, and land adjoining mangrove forests were being damaged despite repeated representations to various authorities.
In response to the complaint, the Commission called for reports from the Mumbai Suburban Collector, the Mangrove Cell, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
A joint inspection conducted on February 13, 2025, by the Taluka Level Mangrove Forest Protection and Conservation Monitoring Committee revealed temporary sheds, scrap material, welding units, and large quantities of debris on both government and private land. While the inspection found no direct evidence of mangrove destruction, maps from the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) indicated that some of the inspected areas fell within 50 metres of existing mangroves or mudflats.
Following these findings, an FIR was registered on April 2, 2025, at the Malwani Police Station against Kader Ahmed Qureshi and Anant Koli under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate later informed the Commission that eight to ten temporary encroachments on government land were demolished in May 2025.
Although a second inspection in January 2026 again found unauthorised structures and debris, the BMC took further legal action under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, leading to another criminal case at the Malwani Police Station. Notices were issued to the encroachers, and the unauthorised structures were demolished on February 26, 2026.
On July 20, 2026, the MSHRC officially disposed of the complaint. The Commission observed that the Collector’s office, the Mangrove Cell, the police, and the BMC had successfully initiated legal and demolition proceedings, meaning the grievance regarding official inaction had been resolved.
