You are causing irreversible damage: Court warns BMC

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Friday came down heavily on the BMC while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) against the coastal road project being carried out allegedly without an environmental impact assessment. A bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Nitin Jamdar told the BMC that it will have to justify the reclamation work being done in South Mumbai for the project.

“It is common sense that where there are coral reef, they need stagnant water. You are causing fairly irreversible damage to that part of the coast,” the bench said while hearing the PIL filed by activists who have approached the HC against the alleged rampant reclamation of the coast in South Mumbai.

While the construction on the first leg of the project from Princess Street to Worli has already begun, the petitioners have opposed the project contending that the permissions it has proceeded on are not enough.

Petitioners’ lawyers on Friday questioned the environmental notifications over Coastal Regul-ation Zone and exceptions carved under it.

The high court also asked how the 'exceptional circumstances' were carved in the CRZ notification.

The BMC lawyer will begin his submissions on Monday.