Plan to move NGT in an effort to put mangroves on map

The maps are significant for Mumbai, to prevent developers from grabbing the plots

: Alleging the recently published final coastal zone management plan (CZMP) maps for the city has left mangroves, wetlands, salt pans with no protection against development, activists plan to move the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The state has brushed off the concerns, terming it an issue with the resolution of the images.

After a delay of almost three years since the National Green Tribunal (NGT) first asked the state to develop CZMP maps for various locations along the Konkan coast, including Mumbai, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) published the final maps for Mumbai on their website earlier this month.

CZMP maps indicate the high tide line (extent till which coastal waters can reach the farthest on land) and hazard line (boundary identifying extent of shoreline changes over the years), and demarcate coastal regulatory zone (CRZ) areas. They are significant to prevent land grab by developers, said experts.

Under the CRZ norms, CRZ I includes ecologically sensitive areas such as mangroves, coral reefs and mudflats, where any kind of development is prohibited. CRZ II areas are developed land with infrastructure up to or close to the shoreline in designated urban areas, and CRZ III include undisturbed areas that are not substantially built up, and Environment groups said the final coastal zone management plan (CZMP) maps, recently published for Mumbai city and suburbs, has left out large tracts of mangroves, wetlands, salt pans from Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) I status or any protection at all

Groups such as Vanashakti and Conservation Action Trust (CAT) said the CZMP map for the eastern suburbs, which has the maximum mangrove and wetland patches, has not been published at all by the state yet NGO Vanashakti in 2013 filed an application with the NGT, western bench, alleging the state’s coastline was being destroyed as the Union environment ministry was repeatedly giving extensions to the Maharashtra government to finalise the coastal zone management plan (CZMP) maps don’t have infrastructure.

Groups namely Vanashakti and Conservation Action Trust (CAT) have claimed the maps show mangroves too in the CRZ III category, instead of CRZ I. Moreover, the CZMP map for the eastern suburbs, which has the maximum number of mangrove and wetland patches, has not been published yet, they alleged.

“The maps are either not legible,

THE CRZ NORMS

CRZ I: Ecologically sensitive areas such as mangroves, coral reefs and mudflats where any kind of development is prohibited

CRZ II: Developed land with infrastructure up to or close to the shoreline in designatedurbanareas CRZ III: Relatively undisturbed areas that are not substantially built up, and don’t have infrastructure

MUMBAI

without checking the number of proposals being cleared

On February 10, 2016, NGT passed an order where it directed the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) not to consider proposals until they prepared draft CZMP maps for all coastal districts in Maharashtra. Soon after, MCZMA challenged the order

or are bad versions of other maps or previous drafts,” said Debi Goenka, trustee, CAT. “There are no maps for the eastern suburbs that house Thane creek, Vikhroli and Ghatkopar mangroves. Gaothans or koliwadas. There is no report accompanying the map, and with poorly developed imagery, it is impossible to identify which plots are within CRZ areas or the 50-m by approaching the HC. In July 2016, the HC stayed NGT’s interim order and gave MCZMA three months to prepare the maps

In October 2016, MCZMA developed draft CZMP maps for Mumbai, Ratnagiri and Raigad districts, but failed to develop it for Sindhudurg, Thane, and Palghar. In January 2017, they filed a civil

buffer zone from mangroves.”

“As the maps are erroneous, we have decided to challenge them in court,” said Zaman Ali, environment lawyer. “A 500-acre plot in Goregaon (West), which used to be one of the largest wetland in this area owned by a private company, has been opened up for development.”

“We are in the process of scanning and uploading maps of application asking for more time. In June 2017, MCZMA told the HC they had developed the draft map for Sindhudurg, but needed more time for Thane and Palghar. The HC bench set a September 30 deadline, which MCZMA did not meet

In November 2017, NGT Pune directed the state to prepare coastal maps before permitting

higher resolution, to clarify on site specific concerns and exact CRZ status. There is no need for a report. The maps for the eastern suburbs will be uploaded soon,” said Anil Diggikar, principal secretary, state environment department, MCZMA chairman.

Salt pans on the landward side of the highway have been excluded from the CRZ, said environmentalists. “The map allows development. The state told NGT that municipal corporations of Thane, Vasai, Virar, Panvel, Palghar and Navi Mumbai have not submitted the funds for the development of these draft maps. Under a separate application at NGT Delhi in November 2017, the tribunal directed all coastal states to reclamation of coastal areas for the benefit of builders,” said Stalin D, director, NGO Vanashakti.

Other environment protection groups said various locations such as Navy Nagar in Colaba, Raj Bhavan, Haji Ali, Worli Firing Range, Bandra Fort, Land’s End in Bandra, Carter Road, Juhu Airport, Seven Bungalows Versova etc have all been recategorised from CRZ III to CRZ II submit CZMP drafts by April 30

In April, upholding the NGT order from November 2017, the SC passed an order directing MCZMA to prepare the final draft coastal zone maps by April 30. MCZMA submitted maps, the ministry approved them till September, and they were published on MCZMA website earlier this month.

ANIL DIGGIKAR,

changing protection status. “Specific mangrove patches in the Malad-Manori creek, and Borivli-Dahisar areas have now been identified as CRZ II, which means allowing these areas to be exploited. Even a site demarcated as ‘National Mangrove Site’ by the Centre in Gorai near Essel World has also been opened up as CRZ II,” said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog Foundation.