NGT rejects CIDCO’S petition to sell CRZ plot in Navi Mumbai

NAVI MUMBAI: After months of protesting, campaigning and fighting a legal battle to save a Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) plot in NRI Seawoods Colony, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a specialised judicial body that handles environmental cases, gave a verdict in the people’s interest by rejecting a review petition by CIDCO challenging its order barring the sale of the plot.

The NGT (Western Zone) bench comprising justice Dinesh Kumar Singh, judicial member and Dr Vijay Kulkarni, expert member barred CIDCO from auctioning nearly two-thirds of the 25,000 sq metre plot number in sector 54-56 which falls under CRZ 1A and 2 categories.

For context, CRZ areas are ecologically sensitive areas which are essential in maintaining the ecosystem of the coasts.

The bench had limited the development projects to the nonCRZ area and even suggested that CIDCO could spare it for civic facilities which Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation had planned as per its draft development plan.

CIDCO had however, challenged the order. It claimed that the new CZMP reduced the CRZ limit and hence would have benefited its case and should have been taken into consideration. The same bench vide its order on April 22 has now rejected CIDCO’S contention. Rekha Sankhala from The Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society said, “This is a collective victory of the residents, who protested, formed a human chain and have supported the legal battle. We also received moraleboosting support from former corporator Netra Shirke through whom we could enlist the support of MLA Ganesh Naik.”

Despite repeated attempts by HT, CIDCO officials could not be reached for comments.