Fishermen file plea opposing Shivaji statue off city coast

MUMBAI: Plans for a grand Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in the Arabian Sea, off the Mumbai coast, have been opposed by fishermen who fear it will damage the environment

MUMBAI: Plans for a grand Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in the Arabian Sea, off the Mumbai coast, have been opposed by fishermen who fear it will damage the environment and destroy the fishing industry.

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The Akhil Maharashtra Machimar Kriti Samiti (AMMKS), a group representing the fishermen, filed a public interest litigation (PIL) with the National Green Tribunal, Pune, accusing the Maharashtra government, Union environment ministry, Mumbai Port Trust and the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) of getting environmental and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances for the project without consulting citizens.

“The project will destroy around 110km of coastal area near Mumbai, natural aquatic, marine eco-system and it will affect the livelihood of traditional fishermen,” read the petition filed by Damodar Tandel, president, AMMKS, along with marine conservationist Pradip Patade. An NGT bench of justice Dr Jawid Rahim and Dr Ajay Deshpande heard the petition on Wednesday and issued notices asking the government agencies to send their representatives to the next hearing on September 30.