Ban on construction in wetlands: Govt withdraws plea seeking modification in earlier court order

The state government had on December 18, 2013, following the HC’s order, issued a government resolution directing civic bodies to enforce a ban on reclamation or constructions in areas earmarked in the Centre’s wetland atlas. Express archive

The state government on Monday withdrew its plea seeking certain modifications in an earlier court order pertaining to banning of constructions in wetland areas.

In the last hearing, the court had asked the advocate general to appear “to clear the stand of the government on whether they want the wetlands destroyed”. A division bench of Justice A S Oka and Justice A A Sayyed was hearing a public interest litigation by NGO Vanshakti for saving wetlands and setting up of a wetlands authority to monitor violations.

The state government had on December 18, 2013, following the HC’s order, issued a government resolution directing civic bodies to enforce a ban on reclamation or constructions in areas earmarked in the Centre’s wetland atlas.

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The petitioner, meanwhile, submitted fresh photos showing fresh constructions in mangrove areas in Vasai. The court has asked the state to inspect the same and file its reply. It has granted the state two weeks to file a compliance affidavit in terms of earlier orders.

On August 21, 2014, the state government had informed the High Court that it had issued a government resolution on April 30, 2014, to constitute a committee to coordinate among its different departments and preserve the wetlands.

On the state’s request, the court had even “trusted” the government to submit expeditiously a brief document detailing the demarcation, protection of wetlands through satellite imagery. The state had sought an extension to complete this exercise.