RTI challenges CIDCO's claim of rejecting wetland status

Even though the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) has always refused to acknowledge the wetland status of many areas of Navi Mumbai, a document obtained by an environmentalist through the Right to Information (RTI) Act tells a different story. Is. The wetlands of Panje, NRI Complex, TS Chanakya, Lotus Lake and Kharghar in Navi Mumbai's Flamingo City are among the 564 wetlands identified and surveyed by the Maharashtra government, confirms an RTI received by environmentalist BN Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation. Is.

“This negates the staunch resistance CIDCO has put up to efforts by environmentalists to protect them,” says Kumar.

The Maharashtra Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has entrusted the Chennai-based National Center for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) with the task of mapping the state's wetlands and preparing comprehensive documentation and the study is still ongoing.

This information is important for the conservation of key wetlands for which environmental platforms like Vanashakti, Sagar Shakti, Natconnect, Navi Mumbai Environment Conservation Society, Save Navi Mumbai Environment and Kharghar Wetland Hills are fighting for their conservation.

“With the study report, we are confident that our key wetlands are safe as identification, mapping and documentation are the keys to conservation,” Kumar said. The next obvious step is to notify wetlands.

Kumar sought details of the survey from the environment ministry and asked whether the wetlands in Uran and Nerul were covered by the NCSCM.

In fact, the State Mangrove Cell had shown its interest in preserving these wetlands under the Wildlife Protection Act, but CIDCO had rejected the idea on the pretext that these are basically salt flats or agricultural land and hence There are developable land parcels, Kumar further said.

The Panje wetland is leased to NMSEZ (now NMIIA) in which CIDCO holds a 26% stake. Although there is no construction taking place here, the wetlands often dry up as the intertidal water flow is often blocked by vested interests, Kumar said in his series of complaints to the government.

According to the RTI response, NCSCM has completed survey of 564 wetlands in eight districts since March this year, including Nagpur (71), Gonda (43), Bhandara (31), Palghar (8), Raigarh (18). Are included. Information received by NetConnect Foundation shows that Thane (19), Chandrapur (46) and Sindhudurg.

In Pune district the organization has covered 265 wetlands so far and the process is still ongoing.

“We are glad that the state has responded promptly and will take steps to protect the wetlands as per the Supreme Court order,” Kumar said.

Vanashakti and Sagar Shakti had moved the Bombay High Court to save the claws. NMEPS and Save Navi Mumbai Environment NRI and TS have been fighting a long legal battle to save the Chanakya wetland.