Activists: Notify wetlands prone to development

Mumbai: Environmentalists have written to the state government to notify the wetlands of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai that are prone to development activities under the wetland rules, as earlier stated by the Bombay high court. Activists have highlighted that the high court had already asked the state to submit details on the wetland mapping procedure that had to begin in the next two months from September 2018.

“Yet no updates have been there on the matter, even after the deadline of two months has passed. There have been constant cases of reclamation in wetlands of Navi Mumbai, at many places by the development bodies itself. However the authorities keep stating that many areas are not wetlands, despite the obvious evidences and the national inventories,” said Sunil Agarwal, Navi Mumbai based activist.

In a letter to the state chief secretary along with the forest department, it was stated, “Recently we had to move HC to stop filling up of pond in Sector 19 Kharghar by CIDCO appointed contractor. The Wetland of Panje, Uran is also under threat of getting filled up by private developer. The wetlands behind NRI Complex in Nerul and Chanakya institute have been allotted to a private builder for making Golf Course and residential towers by CIDCO and we were forced to approach HC to preserve them.”