SC allows Adani Cementation to cut 158 mangrove trees in Raigad

The Supreme Court upheld the Bombay High Court's order permitting Adani Cementation to cut 158 mangrove trees for a jetty project in Raigad, aimed at reducing congestion and carbon emissions

The Supreme Court on Monday upheld an order of the Bombay High Court allowing Adani Cementation Limited to cut down 158 mangrove trees for the construction of a jetty along the Amba River in Raigad district.

 

The High Court had emphasised the need to minimise environmental damage and implement compensatory measures. It also stressed the importance of balancing development with environmental conservation. The jetty project is intended to facilitate cement transport via waterways, reducing road congestion and carbon emissions, the High Court had said.

 

“Transportation of cement via sea is a greener alternative to road transport, reducing carbon emissions and congestion…The project will achieve the object of easing congestion on roads and help in the reduction of carbon emissions by more than 60%,” the High Court had said. It also stated that the project aligns with India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement.

 

The project includes a 620-meter-long jetty and a mechanised conveyor corridor to move cement, clinker, and other materials. Adani Cementation said it would use elevated trestles instead of bunds to reduce harm to the mangroves.

 

"The project involves the construction of a berthing jetty (with 4 large berths) on the Amba River, with a total length of 620 meters and a width of 35 meters. This berthing jetty would also have a mechanised handling system for loading and unloading raw materials and finished products. In order to minimise the impact on the flora and fauna of the region, the jetty approach would be through 'trestles' of approximately 400 meters, instead of the traditional 'bund' approach," Adani had said.

 

A 'bund' is a flat approach road about 7 meters wide, between the jetty and the mainland, constructed directly on the water, whereas a 'trestle' approach envisages the setting up of pillars and an elevated structure, which ensures minimal disturbance to the flora and fauna of the region, the proposed project by Adani had said.

 

The High Court order was challenged in the Supreme Court. A bench led by Justice BR Gavai dismissed an appeal by the NGO Bombay Environmental Action Group, alleging that the High Court failed to appreciate that mangroves and mangrove buffer zones were ecologically sensitive and geomorphological features that play a role in maintaining the integrity of the coast, and that their destruction would threaten Maharashtra's fragile coastal environment.

 

Counsel appearing for the NGO told the apex court that "when there is a public jetty, there ought not to be a private jetty."

 

The NGO also alleged that the High Court order "erred in prioritising the commercial interests of a private entity over the paramount ecological importance of mangroves," it said.

 

Meanwhile, Adani had argued that it had conceptualised the setting up of cement manufacturing units along the Amba River to reduce the carbon footprint, help reduce overall pollution, and promote infrastructure development in Mumbai.