Responding to green groups’ warning that the ultra-modern IT Hub project on the de-notified NMSEZ will surely be a recipe for disaster as wetlands and thousands of mangroves will be buried, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has asked Environment and Forest secretaries to check the complaints and take further action.
The State Government has recently permitted the NMSEZ to be changed into an Integrated Industrial Authority with 85% commercial and 15% residential use.
Orders from High Court went Unheeded
An environmental protection organisation NatConnect Foundation complained to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) and the Chief Minister that CIDCO allotted vast stretches of mangrove zones and wetlands to NMSEZ. Moreover, the destruction of mangroves and wetlands has been going unchecked under the guise of development after NMSEZ signed an MoU with a large conglomerate.
Even the orders from the High Court appointed high-powered committees to restore the wetlands and mangroves have gone unheeded, NatConnect said. In view of this, the upcoming project is bound to cause disasters, the NGO said.
Integrated area will have industry academic partnerships
The state government vide a government resolution of February 17 permitted the development of IT-related projects like education and knowledge park and the university of eminence. As per the resolution, the integrated industrial area will also have industry-academic partnerships to promote the training and skill development programme through skill, development centres, research development centres, training centres, digital centres, information, technology centres, training centres for art, performance and sports, etc, apart from a medical school along with hospital and related infrastructure.
The CM has now directed the Principal Secretary-Environment and Climate Change, and Forest Secretary, B Venugopal Reddy, to look into the issue, NatConenct said, quoting an email from Mantralaya.
