Mangroves, meri jaan: How these two young Navi Mumbai locals are making a difference

A view of the mangrove forests at Vashi Creek. PIC COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Every Saturday night for the past year, 10-year-old Paridhi Mhatre and her six-year-old brother Vivansh, have been hitting the bed earlier than usual. When the clock strikes 7.30 am next morning, they know they need to gear up for a mammoth task. Out of the nearly 100 kg of waste pulled out of mangroves behind Nerul's TS Chanakya Wetlands every Sunday, their tiny hands have been playing their big parts consistently.

Vivansh and Paridhi at a cleanup drive in Nerul. PIC COURTESY/AMOL MHATRE

"I watched a video my father posted online after a cleanup. It sparked so many questions in my mind," Paridhi tells us. Amol Mhatre, the siblings' father, and a supervisor with the NMMC's Solid Waste Management department is a regular with Environment Life Foundation, a citizen's collective run by environmentalist Dharmesh Barai. "Paridhi asked me if she could join me the next day. I was surprised," Amol recalls. The green thumb seems to run in the family. Soon after Paridhi, Vivansh followed suit, even freeing a crab on his first visit.

Vivansh, Amol and Paridhi Mhatre

The siblings have inspired other young eco-warriors to step up, we learn. "A few other members from the group started bringing their children along as well. Although it is difficult for children to join us regularly, it's a promising sight," Amol smiles. "I have been spreading the word among my classmates in school as well. Some of them are excited to join us soon," Paridhi shares as she signs off, eagerly awaiting the next cleanup drive.

Aegiceras corniculatum in Palghar mangroves. PIC COURTESY/PALGHAR_MANGROVE

Mumbai's mangroves, a natural barrier against coastal flooding, stand the risk of suffocating under layers of thermocol, plastic and industrial waste. While illegal dumping persists in the forests, Mumbaikars like the Mhatres answer the city's plea for help. While you might not be brave enough to wade through the mangroves like Paridhi and Vivansh, here's how you can dip your toe in the efforts this International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.

PIC COURTESY/Environment Life Foundation

Check Out

Environment Life Foundation
Home turf for the young duo, the collective has been working tirelessly across Navi Mumbai to make breathing space for its mangroves. Now in their 258th week of cleaning, we wonder if that's a number to boast of or worry about. An upcoming mega clean-up drive is open to all.
ON July 27; 7 am to 9 am
AT Shiv Mandir, Karave Jetty, Nerul West.
CALL 9773274296

Mangrove Cell
Make a day trip through lush green avenues this weekend to Palghar's Tembhode region. A plantation drive by the North Konkan division of the Mangrove Cell needs a helping hand to reforest the mangroves near Kharekuran Road.
ON July 26; 8.30 am
AT Kharekuran Road, Tembhode, Palghar.
CALL 9404563474

PIC COURTESY/VANASHAKTI

Vanashakti
The scenic Sarsole Jetty will receive a revamp with a citizen-led initiative in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Navi Mumbai Industrial Area.
ON July 26; 8 am to 10 am
AT Sarsole Jetty, Nerul. (meeting point revealed on registration)
LOG ON TO @vanashakti_india

Swachha Vasundhara
Give your morning walk on Carter Road a break, and join this mega cleanup drive where you can also learn about the importance of mangroves in the city's ecosystem from experienced environmentalists in the field.
ON July 27; 7.30 am
AT Carter Road, Bandra West. (Meeting point revealed on registration)
LOG ON TO @swachha_vasundhara_abhiyaan

Wildlife Institute of India
Get teleported to the heart of the Sundarbans for a peek into the latest developments and efforts that aim to keep the world's largest mangrove forest alive, with Dr Debajit Datta of Kolkata's Jadavpur University.
ON July 26; 3 pm
LOG ON TO Wildlife Institute of India on Facebook

Pichavaram

eBird
If you're looking for a different way to explore India's mangroves, check out the vibrant avian species who visit Pichavaram in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore district, home to the world's second largest mangrove forest.
LOG ON TO ebird.org/hotspot/L3147957

Centre for Tropical Biodiversity Conservation
If you can't lace up your shoes for a mangrove trail, join this webinar by the CTBC featuring a talk by Marine Bioscience professor Dr Limna Mol V P.
ON July 26; 6.30 pm
LOG ON TO @ctbcindia