Amid concerns by environmentalists and bird lovers, the Maharashtra government will spend around Rs 800 crore to minimise the damage caused to Sewri mudflats in Central Mumbai, better known for housing flamingos during their annual migration in Mumbai.
For many, the Sewri port is one of the many old and dilapidated structures in Central Mumbai. On the opposite bay, stand a chemical fertilizer factory, two oil refineries and a thermal power plant. Every winter, flamingos fly to the Sewri-Mahul mudflats, filled with chemicals and sewage, in search of food.
The long-pending Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project, which involved in building a 22-km bridge from Sewri to Nhava in Navi Mumbai, is posing a threat to the birds’ habitat. The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has been demanding shifting of its starting point in Sewri to 500 meters south to minimise the destruction of mudflats. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the nodal agency of the State government, which is implementing the project, has expressed its inability to shift the starting point.
However, it has decided to appoint an environmental consultant with an estimated budget of Rs 800 crore to minimise ecological losses. This budget is around nine per cent of the total estimated project cost.
“The project has been modified by taking in to account the environmental concerns of various activists and organisations. The consultant will be working closely to minimise the footprints. Noise barriers will be put up to not to disturb the habitat and more importantly latest technology will be used to not to disturb the place’s ecosystem,” said Sharad Sabnis, Chief Engineer, MMRDA.
Interestingly, BNHS, working with UK-based BirdLife International – a global conservation organisation - as its India Partner, has recently published a study, which lists the Sewri-Mahul creek as one of the 10 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in India in serious danger of being lost forever.
When contacted, Atul Sathe, Manager-Communications, BNHS-India, expressed his inability to comment on the developments. “We will have to study the decision before commenting,” said Mr. Sathe.
ARUP, a global firm responsible for the environmental consultancy during the Hong Kong -Shenzhen corridor, will be given the responsibility for the MTHL.
The total project cost, expected to cost around Rs 10,000 crore, will be mainly funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The agreements are expected to be inked in the next 6 to 8 months.
