Hindustan Times: Mumbai: Saturday, 10 October 2020.
The Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ), a proposed integrated industrial township across 4,000 acres in Uran, has undertaken illegal reclamation across three locations in the taluka, according to details revealed through a right to information (RTI) response from the state.
Official records of the revenue department’s investigations over the past year submitted by the state mangrove cell in response to the RTI query by NGO Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishthan (SEAP) show that NMSEZ undertook landfilling without permissions at Panje, Bhendkhal, and Pagote, and were also responsible for chopping mangroves over three acres at Pagote. These areas are located towards the eastern seafront of the Mumbai harbour in Raigad district.
“NMSEZ has always been in denial that it has not done any environmental harm, but the RTI response amply proves the severity of environmental violations,” said Nandkumar Pawar, head, SEAP.
Environment groups NatConnect Foundation and SEAP wrote to environment minister Aaditya Thackeray on Friday ahead of World Migratory Birds Day (October 10), requesting the state to declare Panje a bird sanctuary and provide permanent protection to other affected areas.
The RTI response further stated that inspection reports, as submitted by the Raigad collector, confirmed damage to ecologically sensitive zones, and NMSEZ had been booked for cases at Pagote and Bhendkhal. The truck driver of a dumper (dumping debris), which belonged to the contractor appointed by NMSEZ was booked for the violation at Panje.
Panje and Bhendkhal have been proposed by the mangrove cell as conservation reserves and also demarcated as satellite wetlands of the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary. However, no areas in Uran have been notified by the state environment department as wetlands under the 2017 wetland rules.
Nidhi Choudhari, district collector and magistrate, Raigad, said, “On all complaints received on mangroves destruction, the administration has taken necessary action and filed a first information report (FIR) with the police department. In the NMSEZ case, an FIR was filed and the work was immediately stopped.”
Ravi Kulkarni, general manager, NMSEZ said, “I am not aware of any environmental violations in Uran by NMSEZ. However, whenever there have been any complaints, we have forwarded the grievances to the revenue department or the forest department. In some cases, we have assisted both state bodies during their investigation.”
The RTI response by the Uran regional forest officer also said as many as 5,333 mangrove saplings needed to be planted to compensate for the damage at Pagote. “Since the land is privately owned by NMSEZ, the government agency could not do the plantation,” the RTI response said.
Neenu Somraj, member secretary of the Bombay high court (HC) appointed mangrove and wetland redressal committee and deputy conservator of forest (mangrove cell), said, “Entire submissions from the revenue department are with us. Now, we have directed the local police to complete their investigation and the charge sheet for FIRs filed against NMSEZ. The committee has asked the police to submit their status report by the next hearing.”
NMSEZ is owned 26% by state body City Industrial Development Corporation Limited (Cidco) and 74% by private investors. According to Cidco, 5,250 acres in Uran are proposed to be developed for industries and residential zones, of which 4,125 acres has already been handed over to NMSEZ, the special planning authority for the notified areas in of Dronagiri, Kalamboli, Ulwe (waterfront) and Ulwe (airport) nodes of Navi Mumbai, under the provisions of Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966.
An NMSEZ official requesting anonymity said, “No dumping of debris or site development work has been undertaken on NMSEZ land in Panje or any of the other Uran areas in the last few years. Also, there is no question of wetland destruction as these sites agricultural land acquired by the Maharashtra government and handed over to Cidco for development of industrial and residential areas.”
Uran’s local fishing community has been opposing NMSEZ’s project citing loss of livelihood as their fishing areas are allegedly being reclaimed while environmentalists have opposed proposed activities since they impede migratory bird roosting. “The RTI clarifies that all our previous complaints stand vindicated, and it is now up to the state to take appropriate action,” said BN Kumar, director, NatConnect Foundation.
The Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ), a proposed integrated industrial township across 4,000 acres in Uran, has undertaken illegal reclamation across three locations in the taluka, according to details revealed through a right to information (RTI) response from the state.
Official records of the revenue department’s investigations over the past year submitted by the state mangrove cell in response to the RTI query by NGO Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishthan (SEAP) show that NMSEZ undertook landfilling without permissions at Panje, Bhendkhal, and Pagote, and were also responsible for chopping mangroves over three acres at Pagote. These areas are located towards the eastern seafront of the Mumbai harbour in Raigad district.
“NMSEZ has always been in denial that it has not done any environmental harm, but the RTI response amply proves the severity of environmental violations,” said Nandkumar Pawar, head, SEAP.
Environment groups NatConnect Foundation and SEAP wrote to environment minister Aaditya Thackeray on Friday ahead of World Migratory Birds Day (October 10), requesting the state to declare Panje a bird sanctuary and provide permanent protection to other affected areas.
The RTI response further stated that inspection reports, as submitted by the Raigad collector, confirmed damage to ecologically sensitive zones, and NMSEZ had been booked for cases at Pagote and Bhendkhal. The truck driver of a dumper (dumping debris), which belonged to the contractor appointed by NMSEZ was booked for the violation at Panje.
Panje and Bhendkhal have been proposed by the mangrove cell as conservation reserves and also demarcated as satellite wetlands of the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary. However, no areas in Uran have been notified by the state environment department as wetlands under the 2017 wetland rules.
Nidhi Choudhari, district collector and magistrate, Raigad, said, “On all complaints received on mangroves destruction, the administration has taken necessary action and filed a first information report (FIR) with the police department. In the NMSEZ case, an FIR was filed and the work was immediately stopped.”
Ravi Kulkarni, general manager, NMSEZ said, “I am not aware of any environmental violations in Uran by NMSEZ. However, whenever there have been any complaints, we have forwarded the grievances to the revenue department or the forest department. In some cases, we have assisted both state bodies during their investigation.”
The RTI response by the Uran regional forest officer also said as many as 5,333 mangrove saplings needed to be planted to compensate for the damage at Pagote. “Since the land is privately owned by NMSEZ, the government agency could not do the plantation,” the RTI response said.
Neenu Somraj, member secretary of the Bombay high court (HC) appointed mangrove and wetland redressal committee and deputy conservator of forest (mangrove cell), said, “Entire submissions from the revenue department are with us. Now, we have directed the local police to complete their investigation and the charge sheet for FIRs filed against NMSEZ. The committee has asked the police to submit their status report by the next hearing.”
NMSEZ is owned 26% by state body City Industrial Development Corporation Limited (Cidco) and 74% by private investors. According to Cidco, 5,250 acres in Uran are proposed to be developed for industries and residential zones, of which 4,125 acres has already been handed over to NMSEZ, the special planning authority for the notified areas in of Dronagiri, Kalamboli, Ulwe (waterfront) and Ulwe (airport) nodes of Navi Mumbai, under the provisions of Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966.
An NMSEZ official requesting anonymity said, “No dumping of debris or site development work has been undertaken on NMSEZ land in Panje or any of the other Uran areas in the last few years. Also, there is no question of wetland destruction as these sites agricultural land acquired by the Maharashtra government and handed over to Cidco for development of industrial and residential areas.”
Uran’s local fishing community has been opposing NMSEZ’s project citing loss of livelihood as their fishing areas are allegedly being reclaimed while environmentalists have opposed proposed activities since they impede migratory bird roosting. “The RTI clarifies that all our previous complaints stand vindicated, and it is now up to the state to take appropriate action,” said BN Kumar, director, NatConnect Foundation.
.JPG)
.JPG)
