On reading the item "Mangroves preserved” (Events and Personalities, Parsiana, March 21-April 6, 2023), and encouraged by the comments of reader Vistasp Hodiwala ("Missing letters,” Readers’ Forum) in the same issue, I would like to add a few facts about the contribution of the Godrej group towards the conservation of the "lungs” of Bombay city. In 1985, the government wanted to take over the mangrove area of Vikhroli for the construction of a new railway station and to set up a colony for slum dwellers. The eminent conservationist Sohrabji Godrej set up a committee of scientists to look into the matter. I had the honor of being invited as a member. Eventually, the idea of developing the land under mangroves was dropped.
At this juncture I would like to point out the contribution of another Parsi pioneer in preserving the city’s mangroves. Prof Faredoon Bharucha (pictured), who had returned to Bombay after obtaining his MSc and PhD degrees in ecology from London and France, was a pioneer in research on mangrove ecology. Mangroves were blamed for emanating a foul odor and were ruthlessly felled even though the actual culprit was the sewage released into the mangrove marshes.
Trained under Bharucha’s guidance, I objected to the Tamil Nadu government’s plan to convert the mangroves of Pichavaram near Pondicherry into a tourist center with the introduction of motor boats, water sports and guesthouses in the mangrove swamps. Thanks to the blessings of my predecessors, Godrej and Bharucha, the government accepted my objection and dropped the mangrove project.