Navi Mumbai: An illegal attempt to reclaim the protected Lotus Wetland has sparked outrage among environmental activists and concerned citizens in Navi Mumbai.
Despite recent assurances given to the Bombay High Court by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation that the wetland would be safeguarded, fresh efforts to fill the lake have been reported, raising serious concerns over the transparency and legality of the move, said activist Sunil Agarwal, founder of Save Navi Mumbai Environment group
According to citizen D. K. Jain, workers were seen removing barricades around the wetland on Saturday, and a contractor at the site claimed that, as per a work order from CIDCO, the lake was to be filled up. However, CIDCO denied any knowledge of such an order.
"Alarmingly, workers and supervisors reportedly fled the site when citizens called the police helpline 112, and police arrived to investigate," said Agarwal.
The incident has reignited fears of a deliberate effort to reclaim the ecologically sensitive wetland. A few years ago, a similar attempt by CIDCO was stopped when the then NMMC Commissioner Abhijit Bangar refused to grant permission for debris dumping, preserving the wetland’s integrity.
The latest controversy comes after the dismissal of a PIL filed by Advocate Pradeep Patole, where NMMC had claimed it was taking adequate steps to protect the wetland. Fencing installed by CIDCO seemed to support this claim, leading the public to believe the wetland was safe, pointed out Agarwal.
Environmental group Save Navi Mumbai Environment has issued an urgent call to the current NMMC Commissioner Kailash Shinde to intervene immediately, stop any further illegal activities, and ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s directives under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. The group warns that the ongoing actions could amount to contempt of court and a blatant violation of environmental laws.
