While media reports had earlier referred to this inspection report, about the presence of mangroves at the temple site (hence falling in CRZ), the state government suspended the official as a “disciplinary action”.
Activist D Stalin of Vanashakti NGO said in his letter to the chief minister: “We strongly condemn the suspension of an official who has done his job honestly. The Tirupati temple site in Ulwe is located on coastal wetlands and has been made on reclamation of water bodies. Instead of demolishing the illegal construction and restoring the land, the official who reported the factual position has been punished.”
“We have seen first-hand how Cidco controlled areas have witnessed massive wetland destruction at various sites without the Govt machinery taking any action. The destruction of coastal wetlands continues in Navi Mumbai and Raigad unabatedly,” he said, adding, “We stand with the citizens demanding the reinstatement of the suspended official immediately.”
Stalin added that they may even move court if required on the suspension issue.
Green activist BN Kumar of NatConnect Foundation remarked that it was “unfair” to suspend the forest official for simply stating the obvious that there are mangroves on the site and hence it falls under CRZ purview”.
“Earlier, landfill had been done along this Ulwe coast, in order to make a temporary Casting Yard for the Sewri-Nhava Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). This landfill for the casting yard was to be removed after the MTHL work was completed. Hence, it is wrong for any building to be constructed here,” he said.
When TOI contacted the additional principal chief conservator of forests and head of the mangrove cell S V Ramarao, he said, “I cannot comment on this suspension issue over phone.”
Founder of the Save Navi Mumbai Environment, Sunil Agarwal, has also written to the top state authorities, stating, “As things currently stand, no department is willing to act on complaints of Mangrove and coastal wetland destruction except for a few honest officials of the forest department. We are shocked to learn that an official who has correctly concurred with the truth in the citizens complaints of illegal construction activities has been unfairly targeted by powerful vested interests. Any official who tries to protect the environment must be rewarded and not punished. This order of suspension is meant to deter honest officials from doing their duty and we citizens strongly condemn it. We demand reinstatement of the official concerned.”
Responding to the fresh evidence of alleged environmental violations in the Ulwe plot allotment, the Centre and the chief minister have already directed the environment department to check the CRZ status of the project site at Ulwe.
TK Singh, an official from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MOEFCC) has asked the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) to probe into the issues raised by NatConnect and take appropriate steps.
Nandakumar Pawar, head of Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishtan, pointed out that the study of the maps shows that the temple site is within 41 metres of mangroves on one side and 42 metres on another side.
The area of 50 meters from mangroves is an eco-sensitive buffer zone and it falls under CRZ1 on which no construction can take place, Pawar explained.
Moreover, he said, the site is surrounded by intertidal wetland and mangroves which was a fishing area before the casting yard was developed.
CIDCO chose to conveniently ignore this aspect and not present it to the MCZMA while obtaining the CRZ nod, though conditional.
