Adani’s Navi Mumbai airport pledges to save wetlands and avert bird hits

Adani-owned NMIAL has incorporated the BNHS-India suggestion to protect the water bodies in the interest of air safety

The Adani Group-controlled upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL) has incorporated the BNHS-India suggestion to protect the water bodies in the interest of air safety.

“Any changes in the current state of these areas (the wetlands) will result in the more erratic movement of the birds in the landscape between feeding and roosting sites, which may jeopardise the air safety of NMIA,” Adani-controlled project proponent said in its Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study, quoting BNHS, submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Control.

Appreciating this, NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar expressed the hope that the wetlands will be conserved which has also been desired by the State Mangrove Foundation. CIDCO has been just ignoring the existence of the wetlands though listed by BNHS in the report done for the planner.

The EIA study, done by Hyderabad-based Vimta Labs Limited, pointed out that BNHS “strictly suggests” that proponents should protect and conserve the biologically important habitats - Wetlands at - the NRI (Non-Residential Indian) complex, Delhi Public School (DPS), Training Ship Chanakya (TSC), Panje, NSPS (Nhava Sheva Police Station) and Jasai where large aggregations of birds are observed.

Sunil Agrawal of Save Navi Mumbai Environment forum, who fought and won a High Court battle to save the twin wetlands of NRI and TS Chanakya from getting converted into a golf course, said the admission by the Adani-NMIA report is a positive development and “vindicates our stand” to save the biodiversity properties.

The EIA study acknowledged the fact that the golf course has been cancelled.

“It is our earnest request to the government to declare these wetlands as conservation properties and allow the Mangrove Foundation to take care of them,” Agrawal said.

The project has since been granted extended Environmental Clearance, based on the EIA study.

BNHS has been appointed by CIDCO to do the periodic baseline survey of avian fauna and quarterly as well as annual reports placed on CIDCO’S website.

CIDCO and BNHS have also signed a 10-year MOU (valid up to 2028) to track bird movements and advice regarding the overall development of Navi Mumbai to ensure adequate habitats are maintained for sustenance and growth of birds and do not endanger flight movements.