Navi Mumbai: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Control has nominated an eminent scientist to be part of a committee to monitor the intertidal water status at Panje wetland in Uran taluka in compliance with a seven-month-old National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, an RTI information obtained by city-based NGO NatConnect Foundation shows.
Environment ministry nominated Prof Sanjay Deshmukh, Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai, for the joint committee as mandated by the NGT’s Western Zonal bench in February this year.
This follows an RTI application filed in May by NatConnect Foundation for information on the committee’s status and reminders to the ministry to comply with the NGT order. Union Environment secretary Manju Pandey too intervened and asked the officials to act quickly.
“Finally, the Wetlands Division scientist Raja Sekhar Ratti communicated to us about the appointment of Prof Deshmukh,” NatConnect Foundation director BN Kumar said.
Confirming the wetland status of the intertidal area of Panje, the NGT ruled in February that a joint Committee of nominees of National Wetland Committee, State Wetland Authority, Maharashtra, MCZMA and Raigad District Collector needs to take all necessary steps for the “protection, conservation and management of the wetland” in question.
The joint Committee will be free to permit any protective measures during monsoon to prevent flooding, the NGT said and clarified that there is no bar to de-silting, subject to necessary approvals of the statutory authorities without adversely affecting the mangroves and the tidal flow.
The 289-hectare wetland stretching from Panje to Dongari villages has been allotted to Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ) and City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has even marked it as Sectors 16 to 28 as part of the Dronagiri Development Plan which the environmentalists have vehemently opposed.
The green tribunal ruling came following an application by Nandakumar Pawar, head of Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishtan, seeking their intervention as CIDCO and NMSEZ had failed to comply with an earlier order by the State Environment Department to ensure uninterrupted flow of tidal water.
The tribunal also rejected CIDCO and NMSEZ arguments opposing the wetland status of Panje.
However, the NMSEZ continues to have its security cabins on the wetland blocking the entry of bird watchers, researchers and media persons despite the government order to demolish the structures, Pawar regretted.
NatConnect, which also filed an RTI application with the State Environment Department, awaits response on the representation of the wetland and MCZMA on the joint committee, Kumar said.
Meanwhile, continuing their attempt to block free flow of tidal water, miscreants put up wooden blocks, tied with big ropes and backed by cement bags at the inlet and outlet points of the tidal water flow.
“We immediately alerted Uran Tahsildar Bhausaheb Andhare,” said Nandakumar Pawar, coastal projects consultant, Sagar Shakti, marine division of Vanashakti.
The tidal pressure was so high that the man-made block was pushed back and Andhare personally got the blocks removed, Pawar said.
“This is not the first time that the tidal water flow was stopped by miscreants in violation of the NGT ruling which upheld the environment director Narendra Toke’s order to ensure uninterrupted flow of water,” Pawar said.
A high tide during the super moon led to the sea water gushing over the manmade bunds in April 2021, Kumar pointed out.
