The wall has been approved by not only Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) but also the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
The much-delayed wall fencing along the vulnerable mangrove forests across Mumbai, proposed by Maharashtra State Mangrove Cell to prevent, encroachment is likely to begin as soon.
According to officials from Mangrove Cell a total four different types of walls have been finalised and will be erected in different mangrove belts of Mumbai where encroachments have been cleared based on how sensitive they were to encroachments and dumping of debris. Currently, the officials are waiting for the model code of conduct to be relaxed after which the work will be taken up at war footing. DNA was the first to report about the proposal by Mangrove Cell to construct wall fencing around mangrove belt facing threats from land mafias and constant dumping on January 6, 2017.
"There will be 600 meter long walls of height 2 meters, 2.4 meters, 3 meters and 2.4 meters+60cm of barbed wires. Tender has already been awarded for the construction at areas in Kandivali, Charkop, Malwani, Erangal, Ghatkopar, Colaba and others," said Range Forest Officer (RFO) Prashant Deshmukh adding that these walls would be pre-fabricated and brought to the site and installed. The walls will also feature gates accessible only for staff of Mangrove Cell who can keep a watch on the other side as well. "Our staff will regularly patrol the areas and monitoring will be carried out using drones too," Deshmukh informed.
The wall has been approved by not only Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) but also the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
"Many people are confused about this project and we would like to clarify that these walls will be constructed on the landward side thus there will be no blocking of tidal waves and these walls are being set up at only vulnerable spots," said the senior official.
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