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TOI : Central govt nod must for hacking mangroves: NGO : Oct 4, 2007 Central govt nod must for hacking mangroves: NGO Swati Deshpande I TNN Mumbai: The Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG) is opposing a slew of requests from various public and civic bodies for permission from the Bombay high court to hack mangroves, ostensibly for "public utility'' projects. In its fresh affidavit, the environmental group said the mangroves are protected under the laws governing forest lands and permission is required from the Centre for any such removal. BEAG's Debi Goenka said the mangroves are "forests that grow between the low- and hightide lines'' and comprise entire ecosystems, which are explicitly protected by the 1992 CRZ notification and also under the Maharashtra Private Forests Act and the Indian Forests Act. Exactly two years ago, the HC had passed strict orders restraining destruction of mangroves and called for a mechanism to ensure their protection. However, a number of applications have since sought a "modification'' or "clarification'' of the order. Each has a common thread seeking permission to destroy sections of mangroves for public projects including one for the railways. The BEAG opposing these applications said each of them is barred by law and "sees no reason why the HC should put its imprimatur on a single one of these application'' as it would be contrary to the law and the Supreme Court orders. Some of the applications even defy logic, said BEAG. One such is where the municipal authority wants to remove mangroves "to prevent flooding''. "To say that destroying mangroves is a flood prevention measure is an oxymoron,'' said BEAG, which had filed the original PIL to protect the mangroves. Some activists believe that the final hearing of the PIL, which is long over due, is "being totally frustrated'' by the flood of these applications for exemptions. The environmental activists say that the developers and civic bodies should seek permission from the Forest Advisory Committee constituted under the Forest (Conservation) Act by the central government following an apex court order last November. The committee is headed by the director general of forests. s.deshpande@timesgroup.com FUTURE TENSE Publication:Times of India Mumbai; Date:Oct 4, 2007; Section:Times City; Page Number:11 URL : http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDA3LzEwLzA0I0FyMDExMDE=&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom |
| Also see : Environment, Environment : News Articles, Land : News Articles |
