Meet the Mumbaikar Reviving Mumbai's Waterfalls & Mangroves

Having been raised in a family of farmers in a small village in Atraura, Balrampur District, Uttar Pradesh, my connection with nature was inherent. I was in class third when my father decided to move us to the bustling city of Mumbai. My father, a dedicated groundsman at the New Hind Sporting Club in Matunga, worked there for over 30 years of his life while my mother stayed back, taking care of our farm. Though I shifted to Mumbai, the agricultural soil of my native village was deeply engraved in my heart, and I didn’t realize how strong this feeling was until one day.

The Seed of Inspiration

My journey towards environmental activism began in 10th grade with a visit to a waterfall with friends. We all love a good view of a waterfall, but have you noticed that as you get closer to it, you realize how ill-maintained it sometimes is? When I saw the amount of waste that gets left behind, I was shocked by the sheer lack of responsible tourism. With plastic bottles, wrappers, and even food lying around, the sight was saddening. Fast forward to my first year of BCom, when my involvement in the National Service Scheme (NSS) exposed me to the intricacies of conducting clean-up drives. Without wasting any time, I grouped up with friends, college mates and voluteers to organize a tree plantation drive in Parel, Mumbai, on November 1, 2008. We proudly called ourselves the Environment Life Group, which has now turned into the Environment Life Foundation, with over 45,000 volunteers working with us.

The Environment Life Foundation

As time passed and I progressed in my professional journey, I came across the Swachh Bharat launch in 2014. Inspired, I wanted to go back and do something for the environment around me. The memories of those neglected waterfalls kept haunting me for all these years, and I immediately knew where to start. I organized my first waterfall cleanup drive with some colleagues, where we split into six teams and collected approximately 2 tons of waste in nearly three hours of work. This made us realize the magnitude of the waste problem around waterfalls, inspiring us to do more.

The lockdown in 2020 severely limited our ability to conduct clean-up drives around waterfalls due to safety protocols. Confined to my home in Nerul, like everyone else, my residence transformed into a mini-garden. The lush greenery spilling from my home piqued my neighbours' curiosity. One neighbour reached out with concerns about the nearby mangroves. As COVID protocols gradually eased, my friends Rohan, Sriram, and I accompanied her to the mangroves. The sight that greeted us was both breath-taking and heart-wrenching. The dense mangroves enchanted us, yet the sight of them entwined with various forms of trash was deeply troubling. The pollutants smothering the roots compromised the habitat, signalling an urgent need for action.

The ecosystem enhancer had become a victim of human negligence and looked no less than a dumping yard. Despite challenges, we took it upon ourselves to clean up the mess. But the concern was that these areas usually have a lot of non-degradable, harmful medical waste like syringes that need to be carefully handled. After some thought, we decided to start small.

A Sunday Routine

The next week, we started by picking up polystyrene (thermocol) pieces from the mangroves and filled an entire truck in a single day! We then visited the area again next Sunday, at the same time and place. This time, we removed chappals worth half a truck. We were making huge strides, but we still didn’t have anyone to collect the trash we were collecting, so we resorted to Instagram to help. One of our posts reached the deputy commissioner of Navi Mumbai, and he wanted to join our initiative to further revive the entire Navi Mumbai region, and that felt like the push we needed. We started with a small patch that day, and today we have covered a big belt from Nerul to Panvel.

With the support of government officials and over 45,000 dedicated volunteers, we have transformed the coastline from Nerul to Panvel, removing 400 tons of waste over 181 weeks of non-stop Sunday cleaning drives. So, if you ever want to meet up on a Sunday, one of the Mangroves patches in Navi Mumbai is where you’ll find me. The impact is visible with healthier mangrove roots, diverse aquatic life, and a rejuvenated ecosystem. With over 12 tons of garbage cleaned from 23 waterfalls in 18 drives, we are aiming for cleaner waterfalls surrounding Mumbai City. One of my treks in 2016 also sparked a trek route-cleaning initiative among the trekkers in Mumbai.

Looking Forward

The Environment Life Foundation works on all things environment, and the dream is much bigger. We have expanded beyond Mumbai, and initiatives have taken root in Odisha, with plans underway for projects in Goa. Our vision is to involve the local population so that the places we clean stay maintained and there is more awareness about ecological surroundings.

Recognitions like the Sanctuary Wildlife Award 2023, being named 'The Man of the Waterfalls by Better India', ‘Water Hero’, by the Ministry of Jalshakti, and most recently, being honored with the Sakal Sanamn Award 2024, fuel our commitment. These achievements are not just for me but for the collective effort of thousands of eco-soldiers who stand as guardians of our environment.

At the end of the day, it is teamwork that has helped us all get here. When I look back at my journey, I can’t help but feel grateful for my family who has always had my back, especially my wife Trupti, and my 16-month daughter, Dhaanya. Their sacrifice and support play a huge role in what we have been able to achieve today. As I envision the future of the Environment Life Foundation, I see it expanding to more cities, influencing family behaviors around waste management, and creating a well-rounded impact. The message is clear. Every life on earth has its rights, and it's our collective responsibility to protect our planet.

Exclusively written for the Giving for Good Foundation by Bhairavi Hiremath