The green activists are up in arms against the proposal by India’s largest container handling port—Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (formerly JNPT)—to divert 70.33 hectares of mangroves, equivalent to the size of seven Azad Maidans, for its projects. A press release issued to the media by NGO NatConnect Foundation states that diversion is a sweet word that the project proponents and the government agencies use, but it leads to permanent loss of mangroves. The NGO also said that the so-called compensatory afforestation is also a big sham. NatConnect Foundation has written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray opposing the destruction of 70,000-odd mangroves (as a thumb rule one hectare has a thousand mangroves).

JNPA had earlier this week decided to handover 815 hectares of mangroves for conservation to the Forest Department, 40 months after the Bombay High Court verdict to protect mangrove forests and the subsequent orders from the state government and the HC-appointed mangrove committee. The port, however, said that it wants to keep 70.33 hectares of the sea forest for “diversion” for its own projects, such as port-based SEZ (18.37 ha), Landing Jetty Road area (43.42 ha), revival of road from Belpada to North gat, connection to PUB (43.42 ha), Road-widening near Phunde village for construction of a culvert (34 ha) and Y junction to Northgate Road for port road widening (8.22 ha). Of these, the port has already obtained permission for diversion of 8.22 ha. Giving details of the mangrove handover process, Mangrove Foundation of Maharashtra tweeted that JNPA has already applied for diversion of the sea plants to the extent of 70.33 ha. This makes up for 884.66 hectares of the total 913 hectares that JNPA has under its jurisdiction.