Chimbai fisherfolk clash over infra development
MUMBAI: Fisherfolk from Chimbai village in Bandra (West) have gotten into a heated dispute over the ongoing infrastructure development work along their waterfront executed by the fisheries department. The ₹8.5-crore project, which involves expansion of an existing jetty, construction of two new boatyards and two new net mending shelters, has also drawn the ire of environmentalists who said the work is in violation of permissions granted under the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) rules.
The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) had, on February 26, 2019, recommended the fisheries department’s proposal for CRZ clearance while the construction work commenced in August 2019. The project is being funded by the Central government and involves developing “infrastructural post harvesting facilities” at 10 different fish landing sites in the state. A rapid environment impact assessment (EIA) report carried out for the same noted that the work would “fulfil longstanding demand of about 2,525 fisherfolk residents in Chimbai”.
While the project has faced opposition from a majority of fisherfolk, a smaller group of Chimbai residents — Chimbai East Indian Koli Samaj Sanstha which claims to represent 85 individuals — supported the project. Revamping the existing infrastructure, they said, is necessary to revitalise trade. wrote to authorities in January this year, pointing out lapses in the governance and execution of the project. The two proposed boatyards, as per the fisheries department’s layout plans, will involve reclamation of 45,000 sq ft of intertidal zone on the seaward side of Chimbai village, which is a CRZ-III area.
“About 190 metres of the 300metre beach will be taken up by the project. This leaves very little open space left, and there has not been any detailed study on how the tidal influence will change. The way the project has been executed is quite shabby. Even MCZMA when granting clearance did not seem to be aware of the scale of the project. This increases room for violations which, as we can see, has already happened,” said environmentalist Zoru Bhatena, who had first written to MCZMA in January this year, highlighting the project’s ecological impact.
A perusal of the rapid EIA report prepared for the project, too, shows glaring lapses in the consultant’s risk assessment methods. For example, the report uses tidal pattern data not of Chimbai village but that of Apollo Bunder in Colaba when assessing the project’s risks on flow of tide water. “This is a blunder. Changes in the tide can completely change how we park and anchor our boats. If the flow becomes more intense, our boats will get damaged in choppy weather,” said Brian Falcon, a fisherman from Chimbai.
Despite attempts, HT was unable to reach Narendra Toke director, environment and member secretary of MCZMA, for a comment. A fisheries officer privy to the project said, “We have all permissions for the project. NGT has not stayed the work either, and has appointed a monitoring committee with members of the environment ministry and state pollution control board. Any queries should be taken up with them.”