Navi Mumbai: Environmentalists told Maharashtra government that wetland and mangrive committees, mandated by the Bombay High Court, are skipping meetings wherein the officials have to address complaints about destruction of the swamps, stated reports.
The Midday report stated that Chief Minister's Office has asked Principal Secretary of Urban Development department, Bhushan Gagrani and Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Anand Limaye to look into complaints; however, the panel have met only twice last year.
The environmentalists claimed they met once in January and again in June last year and since then there have been no meetings scheduled and the meeting set to happen on February 8 was cancelled sans justification, the greens alleged.
NatConnect Foundation writes letter
The city-based NatConnect Foundation wrote a letter to CM while the chief secretary said that the panels should be meeting frequently to address complaints about wetlands and to protect and conserve mangroves.
BN Kumar, director of the organisation, also wrote that skipping scheduled meetings can be viewed as contempt of court, stated Midday report.
The letter also stated that in the two meetings conducted, the officials from environment department, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation and MMRDA were absent.
Greens allege complaints pending with district authorities, mangroves being destroyed
Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishthan, Nandakumar Pawar, was quoted in the report saying that the HC committees had asked district authorities to handle local-level complaints but stated that they have seemingly failed to address any issues. He based his comment on continued destruction of wetlands and mangroves and inaction against those destroyed mangroves.
Pawar also claimed that wetland committee in February 2020 had asked CIDCO to remove debris from Bhendkal wetland in Uran and restore it but the area now remains buried.
He also claimed that complaints regarding other wetland in Kharghar has also been pending.
While other activist said that culprits divide wetlands in small ponds and cover them with nets to prevent birds from eating fish; birds get killed after getting caught in the net at times, he claimed.
Meanwhile another city based environmentalist said she had submitted list of violations but issues have not figured on agenda nor have there been concrete action on it.
