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The Bombay High Court has directed district collectors in six Konkan region districts to hand over 10,000 hectares of identified mangrove land to the Maharashtra forest department within two months. The order follows a contempt petition by Mumbai-based NGO Vanshakti, highlighting failure to implement a 2018 directive. The court has also set a detailed timeline for identifying, measuring, and transferring the remaining mangrove land. Previously, around 4,000 hectares had been transferred, but over 10,000 hectares remained pending, with some lands yet to be restored for mangrove cultivation.
The Bombay High Court has strongly instructed district collectors of Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, and Sindhudurg to transfer 10,000 hectares of identified mangrove land to the Maharashtra forest department within two months. This order comes in response to a contempt petition filed by NGO Vanshakti, which stated that despite the High Court's 2018 directive, significant portions of mangrove land had not been handed over. Advertisement
Vanshakti's petition pointed out that while 4,000 hectares had been transferred, more than 10,000 hectares remained pending. Specifically, 1,637.2 hectares from a 2005 map by the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) were yet to be transferred. The petition argued that the delay risked destruction of these mangrove areas and that the government was directed to identify land capable of mangrove cultivation for restoration.
District collectors requested an extension of six months, citing unique challenges in each district. Some lands were under state authorities like the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), while others were under central bodies including the Salt Commissioner and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, requiring ministry approvals. However, the High Court observed that identification maps were not prepared as mandated in 2018 and highlighted a near 20-year delay since the MRSAC prepared mangrove maps.
The court emphasized accountability and set a detailed schedule for the identification, measurement, and transfer of remaining lands. It also directed the forest department to update its web portal with details of transferred lands and implement measures to protect these mangrove areas.
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