Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Friday greenlighted the Rs 18,263 crore Versova-Bhayandar Coastal Road Project that will adversely impact close to 46,000 mangrove trees but directed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to scrupulously comply with Bombay HC directions to file yearly audit reports on status of afforestation, to be carried out prior or simultaneously, for a period of 10 years.Refusing to entertain an appeal against the HC’s Dec 12 order allowing the project, a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said there is no doubt about the public benefit of the project, which would decongest the Western Express Highway.“Construction of this road is very important for residents of Mumbai. We cannot stall every developmental project even though it is equally important that the environment and conservation mechanisms are not compromised,” the bench said.Appearing for NGO Vanashakti, senior advocate C U Singh said, “The impugned judgment permits diversion of 103.7 hectares of forest land constituting 45,675 mangroves across Malad creek without any assessment of the environmental and ecological harm that would be caused.”The Supreme Court bench said, “No mangrove should be removed unless there is overriding public interest. There is no dispute that the coastal road project connecting Versova and Bhayandar is of extreme public importance.”Solicitor general Tushar Mehta assured Supreme Court that the yearly audit reports will be filed, as per the high court direction, for the next 10 years to ensure growth and health of the compensatory afforestation being carried out near Tadoba reserve forest and the relocation and plantation of mangrove at a location 10km from the project site.The CJI-led bench said that the annual report shall give complete details of the non-forest land used for afforestation. “In view of the safeguards incorporated in the order of the Bombay HC, we do not see any reason to entertain the appeal,” it said.Narrating the beneficial effects of mangroves, which according to Vanashakti are highly effective in countering pollution and high tides, C U Singh said the approval given by the high court to the project would allow the proponents to cut down mangrove even before the stage-II environment impact assessment and forest clearance.Solicitor general Tushar Mehta a said compensatory afforestation has already been carried out on 31 hectares of land simultaneously with the project work.Solicitor general Mehta a said the high court has put the BMC to strict terms to ensure adequate compensatory afforestation, their growth and survival for at least 10 years.
