Navi Mumbai: The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) continuing to hold on to vast hectares of mangrove belts in the city even as a fresh survey of tidal plants is underway by the state is being questioned by activists and city-based NGOs. The Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) has commenced its fresh study of the tidal plants along the State’s coastal area.
“The study will help us to understand the growth of mangroves and assess destruction as well,” said mangrove cell chief SV Ramarao. As per a response given by Mangrove Cell to city-based NGO Nat Connect Foundation, over 1200 hectares of mangroves belt is still with CIDCO. “Just like the 1200 hectares of mangroves belt in the city, as per the official records total of 2,011.36 hectares of mangroves in Mumbai areas are yet to be handed over to the forest department.
The area to be handed over is equivalent to the size of about 200 Azad maidan therefore their conservation is extremely important” the Director of the foundation, B.N.Kumar. Various environmental groups have been consistently raising alarm over the inordinate delay in transferring the mangroves.
MRSAC is now studying the seven districts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Thane, Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban and Palghar. As per the government website, MRSAC is recognized and one of the best state centres in natural resource monitoring and management by offering innovative, effective and optimal solutions by blending Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies.
Concerned about the rampant neglect of mangroves in the city, the foundation earlier had addressed a mail to the Prime Minister Office (PMO). “The complaint was referred to the state which in turn has asked the mangrove to respond. The delay in getting the mangrove belts transferred to the forest department is causing large scale damage to mangroves which is contrary to the PM’s ambitious project -Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) that envisages areas for development of mangroves covering approximately 540 sq kms spreading across 11 states and 2 union territories for the financial year 2023-24,” said Kumar.
The growing concern over rampant destruction of mangroves was voiced by head of Sagar Shakti, Nandakumar Pawar. “It is shocking that CIDCO is allowed to scot free as the city planner holds on to hundreds of hectares mangroves. Even JNPT are holding to almost 70 hectares of mangroves onto the pretext of future requirements on the pretext of future requirements for its projects,” said Pawar.
