Times of India: Mumbai: Monday,
23 December 2024.
The Maharashtra government
has documented and surveyed as many as 564 wetlands across the state, including
sites at Panje in Uran, NRI Complex, TS Chanakya, Lotus Lake, and Kharghar in
Navi Mumbai, as revealed through RTI information.
This finding, experts say, challenges Cidco's stance against environmental conservation efforts. According to experts, Cidco the city planning authority for Navi Mumbai has consistently denied the existence of these wetlands whilst promoting development activities in areas that serve as habitats for thousands of migratory birds including the flamingos. Environmentalists have been voicing their concerns against the vanishing of wetlands in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) for a long time.
The state's environment and climate change ministry has engaged the Chennai-based institute titled National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) to conduct documentation and mapping of Maharashtra's wetlands. This ongoing study is vital for safeguarding crucial wetlands, which various environmental groups, including Vanashakti, Sagar Shakti, NatConnect, Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society, Save Navi Mumbai Environment, and Kharghar Wetland Hills Forum, have been striving to protect.
B N Kumar, Nat Connect Director, voiced optimism about wetland protection, stating that identification and documentation are crucial conservation steps, followed by official notification.
“It’s a big victory for environmentalists who have been advocating for conservation of the wetlands where thousands of migratory birds visit every year,” said Kumar. Despite the State Mangrove Cell's interest in protecting these wetlands under the Wildlife Protection Act, Cidco rejected this suggestion, asserting these areas were previously salt pans or agricultural lands suitable for development.
Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (now Navi Mumbai Integrated Industrial Area), where Cidco maintains 26% ownership, holds the lease for Panje wetland. Although construction remains pending, the wetland often dries up due to interrupted intertidal water flow. The RTI response indicates NCSCM completed surveys of 564 wetlands across eight districts since March this year, including Nagpur (71), Gonda (43), Bhandara (31), Palghar (8), Raigad (18), Thane (19), Chandrapur (46), and Sindhudurg. Pune district accounts for 265 surveyed wetlands.
Nandakumar Pawar of Sagarshakti appreciated Panje wetland's inclusion in the survey whilst noting significant Uran wetlands-Bhendkhal, Sonari, Savarkhar, and Belpada-were absent from the NCSCM study. These sites have already undergone substantial landfilling. The survey encompasses wetlands at Bori Bokarwadi, Khopte, Sheva, and Karal. In Panvel Taluka, the list includes wetlands at Kharghar, Taloja, Kharghar-Sector 25, Kalamboli, Sinkar, and Morave.
Kharghar Wetlands and Hills organisers emphasise that despite being surveyed, Kharghar wetlands face risks from coastal road construction, with supposed breaches of environmental clearance requirements, notwithstanding Cidco's denials.
This finding, experts say, challenges Cidco's stance against environmental conservation efforts. According to experts, Cidco the city planning authority for Navi Mumbai has consistently denied the existence of these wetlands whilst promoting development activities in areas that serve as habitats for thousands of migratory birds including the flamingos. Environmentalists have been voicing their concerns against the vanishing of wetlands in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) for a long time.
The state's environment and climate change ministry has engaged the Chennai-based institute titled National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) to conduct documentation and mapping of Maharashtra's wetlands. This ongoing study is vital for safeguarding crucial wetlands, which various environmental groups, including Vanashakti, Sagar Shakti, NatConnect, Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society, Save Navi Mumbai Environment, and Kharghar Wetland Hills Forum, have been striving to protect.
B N Kumar, Nat Connect Director, voiced optimism about wetland protection, stating that identification and documentation are crucial conservation steps, followed by official notification.
“It’s a big victory for environmentalists who have been advocating for conservation of the wetlands where thousands of migratory birds visit every year,” said Kumar. Despite the State Mangrove Cell's interest in protecting these wetlands under the Wildlife Protection Act, Cidco rejected this suggestion, asserting these areas were previously salt pans or agricultural lands suitable for development.
Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (now Navi Mumbai Integrated Industrial Area), where Cidco maintains 26% ownership, holds the lease for Panje wetland. Although construction remains pending, the wetland often dries up due to interrupted intertidal water flow. The RTI response indicates NCSCM completed surveys of 564 wetlands across eight districts since March this year, including Nagpur (71), Gonda (43), Bhandara (31), Palghar (8), Raigad (18), Thane (19), Chandrapur (46), and Sindhudurg. Pune district accounts for 265 surveyed wetlands.
Nandakumar Pawar of Sagarshakti appreciated Panje wetland's inclusion in the survey whilst noting significant Uran wetlands-Bhendkhal, Sonari, Savarkhar, and Belpada-were absent from the NCSCM study. These sites have already undergone substantial landfilling. The survey encompasses wetlands at Bori Bokarwadi, Khopte, Sheva, and Karal. In Panvel Taluka, the list includes wetlands at Kharghar, Taloja, Kharghar-Sector 25, Kalamboli, Sinkar, and Morave.
Kharghar Wetlands and Hills organisers emphasise that despite being surveyed, Kharghar wetlands face risks from coastal road construction, with supposed breaches of environmental clearance requirements, notwithstanding Cidco's denials.
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