The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Commissioner has contested the findings that the Divisional Mangrove Protection Committee had made about the systematic destruction of mangroves that local BJP MLA Narendra Mehta's Seven-Eleven club construction had caused. The Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Commissioner today revealed to DNA that there were no mangroves on the said plot. However, when asked about the allegation of FIRs against the alleged illegalities of Mangrove destruction that Seven-Eleven has committed the commissioner reasoned that all FIRs are registered by the police department and it's their duty to take action. He made it clear that the civic body was not involved with this. After two days of a DNA report ,MBMC commissioner, Balaji Khatgaonkar acknowledged that the issue of alleged environmental violations that the Seven-Eleven club had done is discussed in the Mira-Bhayandar area. However, Khatgaonkar asserted that the club had all necessary permissions. Furthermore Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had given permission for extra FSI to construct the five-star club in the area. "There were no mangroves on the lavish five-star club plot. In the past investigation, we found that some mangroves were killed outside the club area of the club and not on the clubland. Earlier, the club had only constructed boundaries from all the four sides." said Commissioner Balaji Khatgaonkar. Commissioner Khatgaonkar also explained that in 2002 a single lane was there for entry-exit in Mira-Bhayandar. However, today in 2019 Mira-Bhayandar is fully developed and has proper highways, roads, schools, colleges, and many more facilities. According to the time, the law has been changed and we can't follow old rules, stated Commissioner Khatgaonkar. However, local activists call this the sheer helplessness of the civic chief. "This shows the helplessness of the machinery if the Commissioner is desisting from taking action. The High Court order of 2005 has clearly stated that no construction can happen on mangroves. In the late 2018 the HC repeated that mangroves cannot be cut for construction or reclamation even on private land," said Dhiraj Parab, local activist. While asked about the five FIRs against the club of MLA Narendra Mehta, Commissioner Khatgaonkar said Mira road police have registered these FIRs and its part of their investigation.However, activists are no in more mood to stomach this claim that the civic chief is making. "We have found dead mangroves from the Seven-Eleven clubland and we also have pictures of it as evidence. Show these pictures to the Commissioner Khatgaonkar and asked him to not to lie to save MLA Narendra Mehta," said Vanshakti president Stalin D.

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