Vanashakti

Updated on Jan 02, 2024

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Founded 2006 Location Mumbai, India		Type Environmental
Founders Meenakshi Menon, Namita Roy Ghose, Peter Armand Menon

Vanashakti is a non-profit environmental NGO based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was formed in 2006, by Meenakshi Menon, Namita Roy Ghose, and Peter Armand Menon. Vanashakti aims to conserve the forests, wetlands and wildlife corridors and habitats, create awareness about environmental topics, protect and revive rivers and prevent opencast mining in the areas that are well-endowed with biodiversity. It also directs its efforts in involving local forest-dwelling communities to protect the biodiversity of the region and provides sustainable livelihood options for forest dependent and coastal communities.

Stalin Dayanand, a passionate environmentalist, works as the Director of Projects at Vanashakti and has spearheaded all the activities undertaken by Vanashakti since 2010.

Mangrove Conservation

One of the major initiatives of Vanashakti is conservation of Wetlands, specifically mangroves in Mumbai metropolitan areas. Vanashakti conducts research on Mangroves through "photo documentation, regular visits and archive databases". Over the years, Vanashakti has fought many court cases against activities that have harmful impact on the health of the wetlands in Maharashtra. Following are the examples of Vanashakti’s legal efforts to save the Mangroves:-

PIL filed to stop reclamation of coastal wetlands to construct SEZ (Special Economic Zone) in Important Bird Area, the Thane Creek. In response to the PIL, Bombay High Court ordered the project proponent to stop dumping of solid waste in Mulund-Thane SEZ.

PIL filed against Kanjurmarg dumping ground for destruction of mangroves and violation of waste management rules by BMC.Following the PIL, Bombay High Court ordered BMC to stop dumping waste in Kanjurmarg Landfill.

PIL against construction of a dam on the perennial Dabhil River to protect its ecology and water security of the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg wildlife corridor.

Save Ulhas River Project under which independent research on the water quality of Ulhas River was conducted by Vanashakti. Results included increase in salinity and BOD levels, following which the complaint was filed.

Complaints filed highlighting issues of degradation/destruction of mangroves and wetlands at all levels of government.

Petition filed against felling of 3000 trees along the Shirsha Phata Ambadi Road in Thane for widening of roads.

Campaigns by Vanashakti helped in declaration of Sawantwadi-Dodamarg belt as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) by Bombay High Court.

PIL filed by Vanashakti on the non-implementation of Wetland Rules led to High Court ruling that banned all construction on Wetlands.

Along with two other NGOs, Vanashakti filed a PIL against illegal reclamation and dumping on the CRZ-I. The PIL also asked for the creation of a governing body to keep the destruction of wetlands in check.

The state environment department directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to carry out an inspection at Sewri Bay in response to Dayanand's letter to the state government urging the protection of its wetlands and birds. The Mumbai High Court issued notices to port trust and Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority. Meanwhile, officials from the city collectorate confirmed that indeed there was destruction of mangroves at Sewri Bay.

Restoration of Degraded Wetlands

Vanashakti was a part a of restoration programme launched by state of Maharashtra which involved plantation of mangroves over 60 hectares across the city of Mumbai. Vanashakti collected 300 kg of garbage from 200 acres of mangrove forests in Bhandup.

Anti-Opencast Mining

Vanashakti was the first NGO to take up the issue of mining near Sindhudurg region in Maharashtra in 2010 following which the Union Minister of environment and forest Jairam Ramesh wrote a letter to then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan asking him to review all 49 mining leases in that region.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Stalin had written a letter to Sanjay Gandhi National Park alleging hills in Dindoshi which were in the vicinity of SGNP were being flattened based on satellite images of the area and requested the authorities to take necessary steps to prevent further deforestation.

In 2015, in a petition filed by Vanashakti, it sought to demarcate “Critical Wildlife Areas” in order protect the various species from extinction inside forests and sanctuaries.

In January 2016, the Ministry of Environment and Forests in an affidavit in the National Green Tribunal that they were in the final stages of setting up an eco-sensitive zone around Sanjay Gandhi National Park. NGO Vanashakti had filed a petition seeking the declaration of Aarey Milk Colony as an Eco-Sensitive Zone.

Tribal Community Based Conservation

Vanashakti works with tribal communities living in the Mangroves to prevent deforestation and illegal usage of forest resources. Alternative methods of livelihood like apiculture are encouraged to provide financial independence to these communities. Paper bags production from Woman Self Help groups in Wada Taluka, initiated by Vanashakti gives an opportunity to women to provide for their families and reduces the incoming waste in Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Critical Wildlife Habitats

Stalin and Vanashakti NGO filed a Public Interest Litigation with the Bombay High Court petitioning to identify and demarcate "Critical Wildlife Habitats" in wildlife sanctuaries in the state of Maharashtra.

Save Aarey

Vanashakti had filed petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) demanding that Aarey Milk Colony be declared a No Development Zone. The NGT prohibited any construction work in the Aarey Milk Colony until it decided on the dispute over the Metro III car shed.

Awareness Programmes

Vanashakti regularly holds activities like beach and mangrove cleanup, rallies, cleanliness drive, workshops, tree plantation, bird watching tours and educational programs and competition in schools to generate awareness about environment amongst students and general public alike. Vanashakti hosts tours of mangrove forests in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to educate public on the importance of mangroves and are among the forerunners in raising awareness about conservation of coastal ecology. Vanashakti works to address all aspects of conservation like education, awareness, sustainable livelihoods, engage with government authorities and judicial battles as a last resort.