The Bombay High Court Monday said the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), being a protector of the environment, should take a critical stand while granting permissions for hacking of mangroves for public projects including that for the Metro Line 2A.
A division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice N M Jamdar made the observation while hearing an application filed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) seeking permission to hack 86 mangroves in western suburbs of the city to construct a car maintenance yard and pier pillars for the Metro 2A project.
The Metro 2A line will run between Dahisar and D N Nagar in suburban Andheri. The 18.58 km-long elevated corridor will have 17 stations. The MMRDA is carrying out civil works for the line.
In 2005, while hearing a petition filed by an environment group, the HC had said the court's permission will have to be taken before hacking mangroves for any public project.
Advocate Saket Mone, appearing for the MMRDA, Monday told the court that MCZMA has granted permission to hack the mangroves for the metro project.
Also Read
To this, Chief Justice Nandrajog said, "The MCZMA should take a critical stand (on cutting of mangroves). You are a protector of the environment."
He noted that courts find themselves in a dilemma when faced with such situations where on one side is a multi-crore public project and on the other side issues pertaining to the environment and its safety.
The bench has posted the petition for further hearing on July 22.
The MCZMA, which functions under the environment department, is a government body that works for protecting and improving the quality of the coastal environment and preventing and controlling pollution in the coastal regulation zone areas in the state.
It regulates all development activities in the coastal regulation zone areas and decides on proposals for public projects in these areas.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
