On the heels of the Bombay high court reprimanding the government of Maharashtra for failing to identify wetlands in the state, the government on Monday withdrew its plea seeking modification of a Mar
On the heels of the Bombay high court reprimanding the government of Maharashtra for failing to identify wetlands in the state, the government on Monday withdrew its plea seeking modification of a March 2013 order banning construction on wetlands.
Earlier, while hearing an application filed by the Maharashtra government seeking modification of the order passed by another bench of the high court on March 19, 2013, banning construction on wetlands, the division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Amjad Sayed had reprimanded the state on the previous date of hearing.
The court had directed government pleader G.W. Mattosto to take instructions from the officers concerned and inform the court if the government wants to continue with the application or withdraw it. Later in June, the government had informed the court that it would not withdraw the application. Following this the bench had said that under the garb of development the government wants to destroy mangroves in the state and was hence seeking modification of the March 2013 order.
However, the government on Monday said it wanted to withdraw the application for modification and the court allowed it.
The state government had on December 18, 2013, following the HC’s order, issued a government resolution directing civic bodies to enforce a ban on reclamation or constructions shown on areas earmarked in the Centre’s wetland atlas.
The modifications sought were in terms of areas described as wetlands in the court’s earlier order.
The March 2013 order directed the government to identify the wetlands in the state so that they could be marked on the map. However, the court was informed that till date the government has not done so.
