Cons of progress?

Residents of Seth Heights at Mahul complain that reptiles from nearby mangroves have been entering residential colonies. The mangroves area is being used to illegally dump waste

Residents of Seth Heights at Mahul have been living in fear for the past few months. According to them, snakes inhabiting the nearby mangroves have been entering their vicinity. They claim that this has been happening as the mangroves are being used to dump waste. Residents suspect that this is the work of Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) that is dumping its waste generated due to the ongoing Monorail project.
Residents say that that were very excited when the Monorail project was announced, but now it only seems to adding to their woes. “Our problems have been increasing by the day. In the past few months, snakes have been spotted in the residential area at least five-six times. This is due to the disturbance of dense shrubs around Bhakti Park and Imax. We fear that our snakes can harm our children playing in the garden or society compound. Society residents are scared to take a walk in the night,” says Deepak Wadhwani, resident of Seth Heights and member of ALMANAC.
“In 2011, we found 92 snakes in Chembur. We also found pythons and lizards,” said Chitranand Pednekar, president, People for Animal, Mumbai. He adds that a few snakes were found to be venomous as well.
The society members also held awareness program last year to spread awareness about the situation. Apart from Seth Heights, snakes have been spotted/caught at Navjeevan Society, Basant Park, BPCL and Mysore Colony.
Wadhwani adds, “On two occasions we also spotted big monitor lizards (locally referred to as ghorpads) that were about 2 feet long. During summers, the problem will become even graver when the reptiles will starting leaving their habitats and entering our housing societies.”
Raj Kumar Sharma, member of ALMANAC, says, “Our complaints to BMC have yielded no results. These issues are raised in the monthly ALM meetings, however we are told that since the roads have been handed over to MMRDA for the construction of Monorail, BMC is not responsible for the condition.”

Passing the buck?
Anil Wankhede, deputy metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA, says, "MMRDA has not dumped any waste at the mangroves while carrying on Monorail work. We just do proper filling as Monorail is evaluated in columns. The development is done according to specifications. The area near Imax and Bhakti Park is beyond our designated area of work. Some private companies may have done the dumping. I have received a few complaints about the same, but we not done this. However, I will investigate into the matter and confirm that it has not been done by MMRDA.”

If you spot a snake
Dos
•    Make a sound with a long stick. Snakes can feel the vibration of sound and will go to a safer place.
•    Place a bag with a wide mouth near a wall and try to pull the snake towards it with a long stick. If the snake feels the bag to be a safer place it will get inside it spontaneously.
•    Once the snake gets inside the bag, try to close the bag from a safe distance. But one has to be careful while doing this.
•    Keep children away from the place.

Don'ts
•    Don't try to play with the snake with a stick as it might prove fatal.
•    Don't use sharp weapons while trying to capture the snake. It is always harmful for the snake.
•    Never get close in the face of the snake as it may attack you at any moment.
•    Don't throw hot water, acid etc at the snake. The snake may die because of it.

--Faisal Tandel