‘Uran mangroves are being buried’

MUMBAI: Vast stretches of mangroves are being destroyed at three major locations in Raigad’s Uran taluka by various project proponents under cover of lockdown, environmentalists alleged in a complaint to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and environment minister Aaditya Thackeray.

They said such work was in violation of earlier orders by the Bombay high court (HC), which bar construction in mangrove areas, as well as the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) notification. “The pace at which whole swathes of mangrove forests are being buried is shocking, particularly at Cidco’s Holding Pond 2 area of Dronagiri node in Uran, which has been placed under CRZ-1 by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority,” said BN Kumar, director of Natconnect Foundation.

Holding Pond 2 is a contiguous 237-hectare running waterbody and even in the nomenclature of Cidco, it is supposed to be a flood control mechanism. “But unfortunately, the holding pond is being shrunk with the burial of lush green mangroves,” said Nandakumar Pawar, head of NGO Shri Ekvira Aai Prartishtan.

Environmentalists, however, took issue with the claim. “NMSEZ is only leasing the land from Cidco. Besides, Cidco is also a partner in NMSEZ, and the ownership of the land belongs with them. They’re still the rightful custodians,” said BN Kumar, director of Natconnect Foundation who has been campaigning for Panje to be declared as a wetland and a bird sanctuary.