Beach wall violates CRZ norms, says NGT
MUMBAI: The ongoing construction work of an anti-sea erosion wall at Versova Beach has run into trouble with the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The project, which is being carried out by the Public Works Department (PWD), prima facie violates the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) clearance according to NGT. However, they are yet to pronounce a judgement in the matter and has given concerned parties time till January 28, 2022, to file their affidavits.
These include the PWD, the municipal corporation and the district collector.
At present, a 1.2km long wall about eight metres from the original high-tide line has been built, with tetrapods dumped on its seaward side.
Earth has been backfilled into an eight-metre space between the original high-tide line and the new anti-erosion wall. Environmentalists have demonstrated that now it is possible to drive large cars along this part of the beach, which was earlier inaccessible to vehicles.
A two-judge bench comprising justices M Sathyanarayanan and Dr Arun Kumar Verma observed, “NGT has read the materials placed before it and is of the prima-facie view that a walkway/road has been created between the existing wall and the place identified for construction of a new retaining wall and the same is in violation of one of the clearances granted by MCZMA.”
The sandy beach is a CRZ-I area where construction activities are prohibited, the coastal authority has noted in response to similar proposals by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada), which have, at different times, sought to carry out “beautification” of the beachfront. PWD was allowed to go ahead with the ostensible purpose of their proposal to reconstruct an existing 1.2-km antierosion bundh from Picnic Cottage, Versova to the Hindu crematorium before Versova Koliwada.
This bundh, PWD had submitted, was essential for protecting properties along the stretch “from further damage caused by the tidal action”. MCZMA had prohibited any promenade construction or reclamation of the CRZ-1 area and allowed for the bundh to be remodelled into a sea wall.
Environmentalist Zoru Bhatena whose petition challenging the project was admitted by the NGT, shared, “Constructing a new facade, eight metres from the original bundh has neither been recommended nor approved by MCZMA.”