Renewed CRZ clearance for ‘scrapped’ golf course sparks fresh concern over Navi Mumbai wetlands

Mumbai: Fresh concerns have been sparked over the fate of key wetlands in Navi Mumbai, with the state government renewing Coastal Regulation Zone clearance (CRZ) for a controversial 34-hectare golf course project over the TS Chanakya and the NRI wetland complex in Sector 60, Nerul

Mumbai: Fresh concerns have been sparked over the fate of key wetlands in Navi Mumbai, with the state government renewing Coastal Regulation Zone clearance (CRZ) for a controversial 34-hectare golf course project over the TS Chanakya and the NRI wetland complex in Sector 60, Nerul.

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The project, Hindustan Times had first reported in May last year, was reportedly scrapped by the Adani group to obtain environment clearance (EC) for the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). The NMIA’s environment impact assessment (EIA) report, submitted to the union environment ministry in September 2021, categorically stated that the golf course is no longer being pursued.

The NMIA was then was recommended for EC by MoEFCC committee in November 2021. The EIA report identifies the TS Chanakya and NRI wetlands as “large-sized roosting sites” for birds, in addition to a third roosting site at Panje in Uran.

Despite this, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) on December 7 last year allowed the project -- being executed by Mistry Constructions, an Adani subsidiary — a CRZ extension for seven more years after the current clearance expires this March. Minutes of the Authority’s December 7 meeting indicate that the project is very much on the anvil.

“If the golf course project has indeed been scrapped, what is the need to extend its CRZ clearance? What is being told to the MoEFCC in the EIA report for Navi Mumbai Airport, and what is being done at the state level, are two completely different things. The EIA report seems to be making a false claim to help NMIA pass an essential regulatory hurdle,” said Sunil Agarwal, who on Friday also wrote to state authorities seeking a probe.

“You are requested to please verify the whole EIA report for accuracy and review the environment clearance granted to Navi Mumbai International Airport project based on such... errors & misstatements,” Agarwal wrote.

The two wetlands, which are at risk of being subsumed by the golf course, attract thousands of flamingos during winters when the birds leave their feeding grounds in Thane Creek during the high tide and come to Navi Mumbai to roost.

The important ecological function of the wetlands has been pointed out by several environmentalists, the state forest department (which intends to declare the water bodies as conservation reserves) and the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which conducted the biodiversity assessment for the NMIA project at CIDCO’s behest.

“BNHS strictly suggests that proponents should protect and conserve the following biologically important wetlands, including NRI (Non-Residential Indian) complex, Delhi Public School (DPS), Training Ship Chanakya (TSC), Panje, NSPS (Nava Sheva Police Station) and Jasai where large aggregations of birds are observed,” states the Adani Group’s EIA report.

“Our overall approach is to conserve the three existing roosting sites – this has resulted in the cancellation of several prestigious projects like the golf course on wetland area to the north-west,” the report continues.

The project has been at the centre of a legal battle waged by Navi Mumbai residents Sunil and Shruti Agarwal, challenging CIDCO’s October 2016 notification converting the land use of the site from ‘no development zone’ to ‘regional park zone’, thus paving way for the golf course in a protected wetland area (the land is classified as CRZ-1, per the CZMP for Thane district).

“Looking at this large numbers of birds and their local movement, NMIA authority is advised that they should be cautious during high tide from December to February month to avoid bird hit calamities,” the EIA report.

The report cautioned that “maintaining the current state of this landscape especially wetlands and Protected Areas is essential for the air safety of upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA). Any changes in the current state of these areas will result in more erratic movement of the birds in the landscape between feeding and roosting sites, which may jeopardise the air safety of NMIA.”

NRI, TSC and DPS are very close to the airport site (about 6 km aerial distance towards the north-west) and though migratory and resident birds inhabit these sites throughout the year, the largest number of individuals are seen in December and January.

The maximum number of birds observed in a single day during the EIA monitoring period (from December 2019 to February 2020) across these six wetlands numbered 10,861.

Kailash Shinde, managing director, CIDCO, did not respond to requests for comment. SB Kulkarni, project authority with Mistry Constructions, also did not respond to requests for comment. At least two expert members of the MCZMA, including one from BNHS, declined to comment for this story.

Despite repeated attempts, there was no response from the Adani group.