The provincial government of the state of Maharashtra in India, acting on the orders of the court, created a dedicated body in January 2012, to protect and conserve mangrove forests in the state. The dedicated unit, called the Mangrove Cell, started functioning as a part of the state level administrative body responsible for conservation of forests and wildlife. Considering the high level of encroachment in the mangrove areas, pressures of land conversion for real estate and industrial projects, and other anthropogenic factors, the government accorded the highest level of protection to mangrove forests by declaring them as “Reserved Forests”. Further, the Cell was empowered as per the statutory laws governing the management of forest resources in the country. Provisions were also made to engage field level personnel to safeguard these forests. With almost a third of the mangrove forests in the state falling within one of the most populated metropolises of the world, Mumbai¸ a specialised unit was formed to check and prevent incidences of encroachment and mangrove destruction within and around the city. Along with protection of mangrove forests, the Mangrove Cell is also responsible for conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems in the state of Maharashtra.
- A judiciary framework that enabled the court to address an administrative gap and dictate the formation of a specialised unit for mangrove conservation.
- Laws and regulations that ensure conservation of forests in the country.
In the past, conservation of mangrove, coastal and marine biodiversity was not one of the topics of focus in the conventional framework of managing forests in the country. Since management of these ecosystems require specialised knowledge and expertise, the formation of the Mangrove there has led to a more effective management of mangroves and marine ecosystem.