Locals demand Kharghar wetland be marked as NDZ

Mumbai: Residents of Navi Mumbai have demanded that Kharghar wetlands between Sector 18 and 19  be declared as a ‘No Development Zone’. Locals have alleged that City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) is carrying out dredging and landfilling work at a pond in Sector 19. A petition on the matter was recently moved to the Bombay high court that stayed any further work at the site.

In the petition, it was pointed out that the six hectares of pond situated at Sector 18-19, at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai is being reclaimed by filling mud and debris by CIDCO.

Nareshchandra Singh, member of NGO Abhivyakti Group said, “The wetland has been reduced to 1.5 hectares now. The satellite images from 2003 and 2005 shows that the pond existed since long time. It is a wetland and needs to be marked as a ‘No Development Zone’

The NGO had also written to the state forest department on the matter. “The wetlands are extensions of the Taloja creek and connected to sea water and mangrove forests. And hence should come under Coastal Regulation Zone I,” read the letter. The group has also requested the high court appointed wetland grievance redressal committee to take up this matter in its next meeting.

Meanwhile CIDCO claimed that it has documents stating that the site is not a wetland. “We have documents to show that it is not a natural pond. However, we have stopped the work after court’s order,” said a CIDCO official.