HT Impact: Drained Panje wetlands restored after blockages removed in Uran, Navi Mumbai

Three days after HT reported that Panje wetlands in Uran, Navi Mumbai, had dried up after blockages had come up stopping seawater flow into the mangroves, the water supply was restored.

The state wetlands committee said they directed forest staff to get rid of eight blockages stopping high tide water from reaching the 289-hectare wetland. The blockages were removed by Friday evening and the wetland was restored by Saturday. “Following the newspaper report, we were informed this patch was drying up despite the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) leaving floodgates open to allow high tide water,” said JR Gowda, member-secretary, state wetland committee. “Our forest officer visited the site, identified and removed the blockages along with his team. We will be closely monitoring this area for future violations.”

The wetland committee members also raised the issue with Gowda. “We received numerous complaints and rather than wait for the next meeting, we needed the department to act immediately as per the new court mandates and they did it,” said Stalin D, director, non-governmental organisation (NGO) Vanashakti and member of the committee.

The district administration said it carried out its own inquiry, identified the blockages and informed the forest department about them. “A meeting has been scheduled with local leaders, villagers and Cidco where the district administration will take stock of who placed blockages and take action against the violation,” said Dattatreya Navale, sub-divisional officer, Raigad.

HT reported on November 21 that the wetlands had dried up as tidal flow had been blocked off resulting in degradation of the migratory bird habitat. A day later, a fishing community from Navi Mumbai filed a petition in Bombay high court (HC) alleging large-scale mangrove and wetland destruction in Uran. “It was painful to see many migratory birds during peak season settled on a dry wetland. This area is slowly being opened up for construction. We will be raising this in court for permanent protection of this site,” said Nandkumar Pawar, complainant in the matter and petitioner in the HC.

“The protection of this area is crucial for the rich biodiversity (there),” said BN Kumar, environmentalist. “Destruction of Panje would be disastrous for air safety as most birds will move to the proposed airport site at Navi Mumbai,” said Aishwarya Sridhar, documentary filmmaker and environmentalist.