Construction killing Mira Road mangroves TNN | Feb 22, 2014, 04.51 AM IST inShareMUMBAI: Environmentalists and forest department officials site visit of the Mira-Bhayander coastline earlier this week allegedly unearthed large-scale destruction of mangroves. It also reportedly found construction activities being carried out in and around the mangrove land. The site visit was carried out on instructions of the high court, which is hearing a public interestlitigation on the destruction of wetlands in Mumbai. The visit was carried out by N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forests, mangrove cell, as well as environmentalists and members of citizens fora. While a Bombay high court order prohibits construction activities within 50 metres of mangroves, a ministry of environment and forest order bans construction on Coastal Regulatory Zone-I (the land between high tide and low tide). Indias Wetland Rules (2010) prevent reclamation of mangroves. Harish Pandey of the New Link Road Residents Forum, who was part of the visiting team, said, We witnessed excessive violations across the wetlands of Mira-Bhayander, including construction activity on mangrove land, reclamation of mangroves, sand mining and cutting of mangroves, said Pandey. Buildings had been constructed less than 50 metres from mangroves with no space for a buffer zone around the mangroves, he added and also alleged construction within CRZ-I area. There are instances where mangroves are surrounded from all sides by compound walls of a building, throttling water supply to them, said Pandey, who is one of the petitioners in the PIL. The system is working in connivance with developers to circumvent court orders. The development lobby calls the shots. The Mira-Bhayander zone is an area of complete lawlessness. Repeated FIRs have been filed over destruction of mangroves in this region since 2010, and yet flats are constructed on mangrove land, said D Stalin of NGO Vanashakti, a petitioner in the PIL.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:40:55 +0000
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