Maharashtra forest minister promises 4 mangrove walks, protection for wetlands

Navi Mumbai: Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik positively responded to green groups’ plea to set up a mangrove walk at the mangrove restoration site at Vashi and consider protection of the five key wetlands, including the one at Panje in Uran.

Responding to environmentalists’ plea for setting up a mangrove walk on a restored mangrove zone near Vashi railway station, Naik said he is keen on four such projects in Navi Mumbai.

NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar presented a plan to Naik for building a wooden mangrove walk at survey number 17 near the station where thousands of mangroves have been destroyed due to land-grabbing for an illegal slum.

The Mangrove Cell has since demolished the slums and booked a dozen people for destroying the tidal plants.

Now the four-hectare place does not have any mangroves and it is “ideal time” to build a one-km long zia-zag mangrove walk since no sea plants will be disturbed, Kumar said.

He pointed out that the forest department had a tough time finding blank spaces while digging in the wooden poles for a mangrove walk at Gorai. This kind of challenge can easily be avoided at the Vashi site since there are no mangroves presently there, he said, and presented an AI-created image with the wooden bridge.

Naik appreciated the plan and immediately marked the proposal to his department officials for further action. “I shall discuss this with my officers,” he said, disclosing that he is keen on four mangrove walks at Vashi, Ghansoli, Airoli, and Belapur.

Earlier, a delegation of environment and bird lovers met Naik and felicitated him for his visionary approach in getting the conservation reserve status for the DPS Flamingo Lake. Former corporator Netra Shirke, activist Sandeep Sareen of Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society, and several residents appreciated Naik for the speed with which he acted to protect DPS Flamingo Lake.

NatConnect also presented a document to Naik listing out the strong points in favour of protecting the wetlands at NRI, TS Chanakya in Nerul, Belpada, Bhendkhal, and Panje in Uran.

While the Mangrove Cell and (Bombay Natural History Society) BNHS have suggested to protect them as part of the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) management plan, the Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL) agreed to this plan to protect the biodiversity around the project.

Naik assured the environmentalists that the protection of mangroves and wetlands is on his priority list.