JNPT killing Uran wetlands in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, alleges environmentalist

Land filling work at wetlands along the NH-348

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) seems to have another wetland falling prey to landfilling. Environmentalists have alleged that the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is carrying out landfilling at Sawarkhar, Sonari, Karal and Jaskhar areas of Uran. It has been claimed that the JNPT does not have valid permissions from the Bombay High Court and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) clearance from MCZMA (Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority).

Green activist Nandkumar Pawar said, "It is an open violation and contempt of the high court. The wetlands have turned dry because of blocking of the natural tide by JNPT." He has also emailed Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray and other concerned departments about the illegal landfill.

According to Pawar, the areas have been identified as wetlands in the Wetland List published by the Uran tehsildar. "Already, JNPT has recklessly and illegally reclaimed various waterbodies at Jasai, Dastan phata wetlands (measuring 350 hectares), over 300 hectares of mangroves and waterbodies at Belpada. Because of this, there is waterlogging during the monsoon and villages nearby are experiencing unseasonal flooding since 2019," Pawar added.

Pawar expressed his concern that further reclamation could make the situation worse in the entire Uran taluka. "The authorities have remained silent and nobody is daring to question JNPT over their landfilling activities on NH-348. Immediate corrective action must be taken to stop this," said Pawar, who is also the head of NGO Shree Ekvira Aai Pratishthan.

2019

Year flooding started due to illegal land filling