Significant Growth Of Contaminated Plants Increased Threat To Aquatic Ecosystem Of Thane Creek

Thane, 30th June 2023: The incessant downpour over the past four days in Thane city has brought about an alarming environmental concern as Jalparnis (Contaminated plants) from the Ulhas River have flowed into the city’s creek. This influx of Jalparnis has resulted in the entire bay being blanketed with a large stretch of polluted plants, raising concerns for aquatic life and the overall ecosystem.

The continuous rainfall in Thane has caused Jalparnis to become visible in multiple areas, with the creek bed from Mumbra Retibandar to Ghodbandar now covered with aquatic plants. This sprawling carpet-like growth obstructs the penetration of light rays and significantly reduces the oxygen levels in the water, posing a severe threat to aquatic life and other organisms. Apprehension is growing among citizens as they fear a substantial impact on the aquatic ecosystem of Thane Bay.

The pollution of the Ulhas River, which provides water to approximately ten million residents in Thane district, has been escalating steadily. The riverbed is increasingly marred by the presence of algae, indicating a setback in the Jalparni campaign initiated by the district administration two years ago. This resurgence of algae in the river basin highlights the waning effectiveness of the campaign.

Environmentalists have raised concerns that the heavy rainfall has carried the contaminated plants from the Ulhas River into the creek bed. However, they have also noted that these plants are not well-suited to survive in saltwater and are likely to be destroyed or further washed away into the sea.