Bombay High Court Seeks Information From Maha Govt On Steps Taken To Declare Sawantwadi-Dodamarg Corridor An Ecologically Sensitive Area

Mumbai: Expressing displeasure over the failure on the part of the Maharashtra government to take decision to declare the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg corridor as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), the Bombay High Court has asked the government to inform of steps taken for the same.

A division bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Manjusha Deshpande, on Wednesday, was hearing a petition filed by NGOs Vanashakti, Awaaz Foundation and others seeking direction to the authorities to declare the corridor as ESA.

No decision communicated about the issue

The bench noted that since 2013, no decision has been communicated about this issue. Even in December last year, the HC asked the government to make a “positive statement” on the issue.

Zaman Ali, an advocate for the NGO, representing Vanashakti said that the government and the Union Ministry of Environment of Forest and Climate Change (MOEF CC) have filed affidavits earlier wherein they agreed for the area to be declared as ESA.

Ali pointed out a 2013 order passed by the high court bench presided over by the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud (who was HC justice then) noting that there was an “uncontroverted position” on the issue.

“It is impossible to fathom as to how a final decision has still not been arrived at, when there is no divergence of opinion either between the state government or MOEF with regard to the ecological importance of the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg Corridor,” the HC said on September 20, 2013.

Statements recorded from MoEF, Maha govt

The HC had also recorded statements from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Maharashtra government that the wildlife corridor deserves to be protected. The MoEF and government were directed to hold a meeting “for sorting out procedural modalities and formalities to facilitate the declaration”.

Ali also pointed out that the state government had earlier said that satellite mapping is underway. The state government also said that the Wildlife Institute of India was roped in to prepare a report on the issue but none of that has been given to the petitioners.

The bench then asked the state advocate to take instructions and file an affidavit with details of the measures taken by the state to declare this area as ESA. The HC has kept the petition for hearing on September 7.