Navi Mumbai Faces Environmental Crisis with Mangrove Loss, CRZ Violation, Wildlife Threats

Navi Mumbai has been grappling with severe environmental crisis for some years. One of the major concern is destruction of mangroves.

Moreover, there has been a violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) guidelines, which safeguard coastal areas from development. The biggest example is the construction of the Tirupati Balaji temple in Ulwe. 

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) allocated a casting yard in the CRZ area for this project. This move sparked outrage among environmentalists and led to a complaint with the Green Tribunal.

Then, on March 27, it was reported that the Environment and Climate Change department said that they were unsure if the 16 hectares of mangroves near Ulwe had been used to build the casting yard. It was a response to an RTI request from B. N. Kumar, the director of the NatConnect Foundation and an environmental activist. It has been alleged that CIDCO has hidden this from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA).

Another critical issue is the destruction of mangroves. They are being cleared for infrastructure and real estate projects. A plot in Nerul, once protected, is now part of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) development project. Activists have alleged that this is a ploy to make land available for builders.

Concerns were raised regarding the division of the wetland in Sector 60, Nerul, by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC). It has been divided into two sections—the TS Chanakya wetland as Pocket-A and the NRI wetland as Pocket-B—in the development plan. 

Earlier, the region was shown as a wetland in the Navi Mumbai draft development plan. The 2022 Draft Development Plan included the TS Chanakya and NRI wetlands as waterbodies. However, a residential area has been planned on both of these marshes by 2024. The TS Chanakya and NRI wetlands areas have not been brought up by the civic council.

The safety of migratory birds, particularly flamingos, is also a growing concern. Reports of these birds dying due to human interference are on the rise.