BMC-appointed bodies to study impact on biodiversity

Allocations of `55 lakh for the conservation plan and `7 crore for the study of the impact of the Coastal Road on sea and groundwater levels and tidal patterns have been made

The BMC has appointed the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO) to develop a marine biodiversity conservation plan for the Coastal Road project. The NIO will also study the impact of the project on sea and groundwater levels and tidal patterns. The proposal will be introduced at the standing committee meeting on Wednesday.

The allocation for the conservation plan is Rs55 lakh, while the project to study the impact of the Coastal Road on sea and groundwater levels and tidal patterns will receive over Rs7 crore.

Among the various recommendations of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF) to the BMC in 2017, was to ensure that the Coastal Road project would have no adverse impact on the tidal behaviour and the development of a marine biodiversity conservation plan for the region.

“We are implementing the recommendations of the MoEF. Accordingly, we have assigned the contract to the CSIR-NIO and the project awaits the clearance of the BMC standing committee,” said a civic official.

After clearance of the standing committee on Wednesday, the survey report of the NIO would be submitted to the MoEF every six months, assured the civic official.