Navi Mumbai:
Ensure there is no more destruction of mangroves in Navi Mumba and replant those destroyed illegally, the Bombay high court recently directed the City and Industrial Develop ment Corporation (Cidco and civic authorities.
Activists have welcomed the HC directions. “We are happy by the strongly-worded directions passed by the division bench of Justice A S Oka and Justice Revati Mohite Dere, making it clear that the authorities--Cidco, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), forest department and the Konkan divi sion commissionerate--will have to ensure 100% conservation of eco-sensitive mangroves in the satellite city ,“ said Sandeep Bangia, member of the Navi Mumbai Environment Protection Society .The society had filed a PIL in 2013, seeking protection of mangroves in Navi Mumbai.
The bench has sought a compliance report from the authorities by October 15 and the next hearing of the case is on October 21.
The HC has said that Cidco, NMMC and the forest department have to take full responsibility for protection of mangroves and directed them to ensure that there's no destruction of mangroves, including the 50-metre buffer zone on the landward side of such plots. The court suggested that the three agencies and the police commissioner appoint one or more nodal officers responsible for their respective areas. “The earlier court-appointed committee, headed by the Konkan divisional commissioner and including members of Cidco, NMMC, and forest and police departments, will coordinate and meet regularly to check the status of various mangroves along the coast and ensure that the court orders are followed,“ said Bangia.
Earlier, in a series of interim orders, the HC had asked the authorities to clear the debris, remove encroachments in mangrove areas and barricade the sensitive areas to prevent movement of vehicles. Following HC orders, Cidco had set up a toll-free and a WhatsApp number on which people can register complaints relating to mangrove destruction.
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