Kochi: During a survey of mangrove trees on Mulayakad island in Kochi, prominent environmental activist found that much of the mangrove wealth had been destroyed by the real estate mafia in the sake of developmental activities.

A group of eight activists conducted the survey of mangroves in the region. They were socked to find out that the Vembanad lake has been invaded by the realty mafia.

The lake is protected under the Ramsar convention due to International importance. The lake comes under highly protected Coastal Regulation Zone.

The activists found that the lake was encroached at various points through chopping of the mangroves and land-filling. The realtors are secretly building ridges in the backwaters at night. The mangroves are quietly chopped off to fill the land with red soil to invade the water body, said an activist. The mafia has even put up boundary walls at several points of the backwater.

Unless the administration take some strict action against the invaders, the lake will shrink more and more, the lake has reduced to a third of its original capacity, confirmed an activist.

As many as 10 acres of mangroves had been chopped off recently. Developmental schemes such as international container terminal had led destruction of the 110 acres of mangroves.

The greens also said the mangroves are destroyed by using chemicals in the ocean.