Mumbai: Three years on, JNPT to hand over 900 hectares of mangrove land

The mangrove department sent a letter for the transfer on February 12. Representation pic

In a good move towards mangrove conservation, JNPT is handing over about 900 hectares of forest cover - equivalent to over half the size of Aarey Milk Colony - to the Forest Department.

On February 12, additional principal chief conservator of forest (mangrove cell) had written to the chairman of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) for the transfer of the mangrove forest. The letter was based on a 2018 Bombay High Court order directing the state to declare "mangroves on government land as reserved protected forest" and hand them over to the forest department". The HC had, however, stated that the transfer would be done within three months from issuance of the final order dated September 17, 2018.

"You are requested to start the process of notification of the mangrove area under your control... through the Raigad collector and hand over it to the mangrove cell Mumbai at the earliest," the letter stated. Officials from the mangrove cell told mid-day that the JNPT has assured to hand over the mangrove forest.

Environmentalist Stalin D from Vanashakti said, "It is deeply disappointing to see state agencies conveniently ignore orders of the judiciary to conserve mangroves. In the 2018 judgement, the HC gave three-month ultimatum to all agencies to handover mangroves to the forest department. JNPT knew about the order, but chose to ignore it for three years. Their answer that ‘since the forest department didn't ask we did not give' is just ridiculous. Meanwhile, CIDCO, MHADA, MMRDA, TMC, MBMC, and others are still continuing to ignore the court's order. Why did the forest department not ask for the lands?."

Sources said the forest department will get a total of 1,194.62 hectares of mangrove land in Raigad district.