Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik blasts 'corrupt and worthless' officials

Navi Mumbai: Promising to protect the city’s wetlands and mangroves, Forest Minister Ganesh Naik came down heavily on certain “corrupt and worthless” officials of City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO) who are allegedly ignoring the environmental concerns.

Speaking to an environmentalists’ delegation at his Janata Darbar, Naik said he was aware of the fact that CIDCO, owned by the state government, continuously ignored the citizens’ demand to protect the key wetlands such as the DPS Flamingo Lake.

“As the forest minister, it's my duty to protect wetlands and mangroves and I will not allow any attempts to destroy them,” he said and instructed the forest department officials present at his interaction with the public at Vishnudas Bhave Auditorium at Vashi.

The delegation comprising writer author Jayant Hudar, NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar, Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society’s Sandeep Sareen Kharghar Wetlands and Hills forum convenor Jyoti Nadkarni presented memoranda to Naik, according to a statement.

They complained against the destruction of the DPS Flamingo Lake by blocking the intertidal water flow despite a high-level government committee’s recommendation to keep the channels open.

Even the state Environment Director and the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests have written to CIDCO top officers to check the stagnant, polluted water at the lake.

“I am aware of the situation at DPS Lake as I have visited the place,” Naik said and burst out at CIDCO officials. He termed them “naalayak” and asked the delegation if he was being unparliamentary when he said such words.

The Minister promised to take up the issue on a priority basis and appreciated the citizenry for their zeal to protect the environment and moving courts and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

When the delegation pointed out that CIDCO was trying to auction a Coastal Regulation Zone-dominated plot adjoining the Seawoods NRI complex, Nai said he would not tolerate any threat to mangroves and wetlands.

On the concerns about the threat to biodiversity near the Pandavkada Hills due to the drilling of a tunnel for the Kharghar-Turbhe Link Road, he said infrastructure development is also important. He, however, agreed that biodiversity should not be impacted.

“Looking at the long queues of hundreds of people waiting to meet the Minister at the Janata Darbar, we sought a separate meeting with Naik,” Kumar said. The Minister readily agreed to meet the delegation at a later date to discuss all environmental issues in detail.