Navi Mumbai: In an effort to protect the mangrove belts in Navi Mumbai, environmentally concerned citizens have repeatedly appealed to the authorities to transfer large portions of these areas to the Mangrove Cell of the Forest Department. However, their requests have consistently gone unheard.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the prolonged delay in transferring the mangrove belts of Navi Mumbai, which are under the jurisdiction of CIDCO, Abhijit Chattopadhyaya, a member of the Save Navi Mumbai Environment Group, has sent a request to Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) Shri Ramarao. He has appealed for action on the transfer of Navi Mumbai mangrove areas to the Mangrove Cell, especially wetlands that are vital habitats for flamingos and currently not directly under the Mangrove Cell, thereby facing the threat of destruction.

Sunil Agarwal, the founder of Save Navi Mumbai Environment Group, added, "We already have a list of approximately 133 hectares not handed over by CIDCO to the Mangrove Cell, but this list is not exhaustive. Whenever we complain about mangrove destruction around Palm Beach for Survey numbers 261 and 263 of Karave Village, we are told by the Mangrove Cell that these have not been handed over by CIDCO."

On July 1, 2024, the Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government to conduct a survey and physical verification of the mangroves within CIDCO's jurisdiction within four weeks. The court warned that non-compliance would necessitate the presence of a higher officer from the Revenue and Forest Department to ensure compliance. The HC was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by the non-governmental organization Vanashakti in 2021, seeking enforcement of the court's orders from September 17, 2018. The orders directed that mangrove areas on government-owned lands be handed over to the Forest Department within 12 weeks of being declared "protected forests."

Petitioner D. Stalin, head of Vanashakti, expressed his frustration, stating, "CIDCO is deliberately misleading the court and is guilty of gross contempt of court orders. They have defied the orders for almost 20 years without remorse. Despite being a government body, CIDCO's defiance is shocking and disappointing. We will not rest until we ensure complete and unconditional compliance with the court orders."

Infuriated by the situation, Agarwal remarked, "The Konkan commissioner's affidavit mentions 638 hectares pending for handover to the Forest Department, but this figure does not include areas retained by CIDCO in Navi Mumbai, which falls under Thane district. The Mangrove Cell has promised to provide a revised and updated comprehensive list within a week. We are hopeful that the Honorable High Court will see through CIDCO’s tactics to delay the handover and ensure all mangroves are finally transferred to the Mangrove Cell." He added, "We expect similar judgments for lakes and wetlands of Navi Mumbai in CIDCO’s possession, which are being neglected and destroyed due to inaction by the City and Industrial Development Corporation."