Before getting started, i would like to inform my readers that due to time constraint i would be keeping my articles short. That also means, some of my dark articles will never see the light of the day on this blog. I am also thinking of moving on to decentralized social blog to create shared value within the crypto atmosphere . This would help me reach out to wide user base and connect to the one's who are well embedded in to this space.
Illegal gold beneath the water
Here i am not referring to metal gold, like back in the days Bombay gangsters would stock and hide this natural resources beneath the water to trade later on. Anyway, what i am referring to is still a commodity with huge wealth potential. The locals with capitalist mindset make the most of this illegal commodity. However, conscious people within the same space refrain and aims to destroy it as quickly as possible for sustainable future.
So, lets see what it is...
It was 5th August, 2018: the year whereby dams around the Maharashtra has received enough rain to reach the satisfactory storage level. Keeping that in mind, i planned to visit Barvi Dam in Badlapur. The companion who supported me in this journey were my former graduation, B school colleagues 'Akshay and Rohan' accordingly.
Early morning heading towards Barvi Dam
- Metro to Ghatkopar
- Local train to Badlapur
- Local Jeep to Barvi Dam entrance
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| Way to Barvi Dam |
Post arriving at the entrance point, we were looking at the way through forest as direct entry through gates is prohibited. However, there are many ways to reach out at the shore of the dam. Like, most preferable one is 20-30 minutes of straight walking on the road will bring you to the point whereby one can spot green trailer park on the right side. From there, walk straight in to the woods for 10-15 minutes until you reach the coast of Barvi Lake. In between, there are wooden benches to rest and pre-engineered houses, probably for authorities.
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| Green trailer park |
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| Forest trail to Barvi Dam |
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| Wooden bench |
Scenery and most importantly what's what at Barvi Dam!
We were quite stunned with the staggering beauty of the lake which supplies water to fast developing areas of Thane and Palghar district. This was the ideal place to chill, eat snacks and brainstorm. It is quite common among-st us to imagine, touch upon rare/unorthodox topics, connect dots and find possibilities. In this field, me and Rohan goes in sync while Akshay take little time to understand, catch up with the flow and respond.
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| Akshay, Me and Rohan (Left to right) |
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| Barvi Dam |
This place is so tranquil that it would dissociate you from the daily routine life of Mumbai. After 30 minutes or so, our attention was grabbed by this color coated sheet house. It was on top of long laying wooden structure surface in the middle of the lake. From the same point, we saw boat impending our way.
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| Color coated sheet house |
By the time boat reached the coast, simultaneously we saw group of workers with leaders behind us.Those workers without wasting a time begin unloading fish from the boat to the plastic tray then lifting the same and walking out of the woods. This process went on with more boats and workers arriving at the shoreline. Now you might be wondering what's so unethical out here, ergo let me decode it for you..
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| Boat filled with Mangur Fish heading our way |
Decoded: The dark-side of the business
- I was caught off-guard when i tried clicking pics of the fish and the whole value chain process of the business. At that time, one of the leaders told me not to do so. Then by looking at the fish i came to realization that it is a Mangur. The farming of this fish has been banned by national green tribunal (NGT) in 2000. The reason being, they are known to destroy the ecological balance that impacts the bio-diversity of the water body. They are carcinogenic, carry diseases, pollute water and reduce food base for water birds. However, it is still preferred by capitalist due to the very nature that they grow very quickly in size, therefore yielding a high return within quick span of time. Keeping this context in mind, i have compared 'Mangur with gold'.
- Fishing inside dam was banned until 2016 when Maharashtra Government had a change of thought and was thinking of allowing it. A conservative estimated that by opening a dam for fishing sector can unlock the Rs.2000 crore market annually for the state. Please somebody enlighten me on this and do let me how licit it is currently.
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| Worker carrying Mangur fish to the tempo |
The Mangurs are procured from Barvi Dam then majorly supplied to Bhiwandi market. The ineffective implementation of the rules and monitoring has led to the rise in illicit business of Mangur fish. Until later in February 2020, it took the outbreak of Covid-19 for authorities to be responsive and destroy all the breeding centres of Thai Mangur in Maharashtra.
The world is divided between different types of stakeholders. The one who sustain on the basis of networking and profit then there is another conscious one like me who steps out of the box to showcase the bigger picture behind the curtains. I keep on intending to do the same, no matter even if that one try to overpower me. Like one of my 'Gaumukh temple' clicked picture was deleted by authorities on Google Map as the place was abandoned and restricted. Anyway before it was removed, it had already gain lakhs of views.
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| Loading of Mangur fish on the tempo |
Heading back, we boarded ST bus to Badlapur station then the same means of transport as we used while coming here.
