'Act against land mafia for creek destruction'

THANE: A day after hundreds of families residing along the Diva creekside had to be shifted to nearby schools fearing inundation, activists have urged the authorities to take action against the land mafia that is constructing structures along the Kalwa, Mumbra and Diva shoreline risking lives.
Activist Aadesh Bhagat said: "The flooding has given a pattern of waterflow during heavy rain, which should be enough to understand that this area should be not encroached upon...We need to be alert before a major disaster strikes." Activist Siddesh Desai, who has been "monitoring the systematic damage" being caused to the Kalwa creekside, claimed repeated complaints to the municipal and district administration about encroachments along creeksides have proved futile.
NCP corporator from Rabodi Suhas Desai had also recently written to the authorities about the issue, but claims to have got no response. A few residents returned to their homes on Sunday afternoon after the municipal corporation declared that there is no immediate possible danger of inundation. "...But we will monitor the situation," said a civic official.