Posted on June 30, 2025
At first glance, the Mhadei River at Sonal is a portrait of peace. Its cool, clear waters ripple past boulders and over sandbanks shaded by thick shrubs of Sherni (Homonoia riparia). This stretch has long been a magnet for nature lovers, families, and weekend picnickers drawn to its beauty.
But beneath the surface, the river is quietly under siege.
A fortnight ago, excavators rolled into Movacho Guno—one of Mhadei’s most scenic bends—and began dredging the riverbed. The work was carried out without informing the Water Resources Department or any other regulatory body. Bulldozers churned up the silt and uprooted stands of Sherni, the hardy vegetation that binds the floodplains together and prevents erosion.
Ironically, the dredging was done under the pretext of desiltation—ostensibly to prevent blockages and maintain the river’s flow. In reality, it appears to have been yet another attempt to harvest sand, pebbles, and boulders for commercial use.
“This work has been carried out without any approval,” said Shailesh Pokle, Executive Engineer of Water Resources, Valpoi. “We have not been informed about it, nor have we authorized anyone.”
Year after year, sand mining has been eating away at this riverbank, often in plain sight of authorities. Even though the Forest Department, the Mamlatdar, and other officials are aware, little has been done to rein in these activities.
Locals recall how Movacho Guno transformed over the last quarter century from a quiet river corner into a popular picnic spot. But with the crowds came carelessness—and tragedy. Over a dozen people have drowned here, many after wading in without understanding the river’s hidden currents.
While desiltation can help improve hydraulic performance if done scientifically, experts warn that indiscriminate dredging does the opposite. It destabilizes banks, destroys habitats, and changes the river’s course in ways that can never be reversed.
Today, the scars are already visible. The once-dense Sherni thickets stand flattened. Fresh gouges in the riverbed mar the landscape. And the Mhadei, which has nurtured life in Sattari for generations, flows on—its wounds hidden from those who come to admire its beauty.
If no action is taken, those wounds may soon become impossible to heal.
