A division bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice N M Jamdar will be hearing the petition filed by Worli Koliwada Nakhwa and Worli Machimmar Sarvodaya Sahakari Society on Wednesday.
The 35.6 km coastal road project, proposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has been challenged in the High Court by two Worli-based fishing societies which have claimed that the civic body has not conducted any public hearing before starting the proposed project. The project is likely to affect their operations, they fear.
A division bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice N M Jamdar will be hearing the petition filed by Worli Koliwada Nakhwa and Worli Machimmar Sarvodaya Sahakari Society on Wednesday.
The plea seeks directions to the civic body to modify the design of the project and to hold a public meeting with concerned stakeholders. It says, "It is anticipated that the project will have a profound impact on the livelihood of the original inhabitants of the city and will result in the loss of direct access to the sea and of coastal commons due to reclamation."
The plea seeks to restrain the corporation from reclaiming the land between Worli to Banganga. It says, "Members of the Koli community in Worli have customary rights to fish in these zones. Reclamation and filling up of this stretch along the coastline will result in loss of fish habitat and consequently the livelihoods of fishers who have no other means of sustenance."
The plea also says that they have made several representations to the corporation and state authorities, but there has been no positive response. A meeting with the Mayor last year too failed to address their woes. Thus, they have been left with no choice but to approach the court.
As per the Census of Marine Fisheries in 2003, Mumbai has 23 active fishing villages and more than 35,000 people depend directly on fishing or related activities for their livelihood. The jetties used by the members of both the petitioner societies — the Worli Bateri Jetty, Cleaveland Bunder, Tare Jetty, and Lotus Jetty — are all situated at Worli bunder.
Since the work for the Coastal Road commenced in November last year, the fishing operations have been affected. Heavy machinery that is being used for construction has been placed at Lotus Jetty, obstructing the fishing activities that are conducted from the jetty, the plea says.
Plot Of The PLEA
- The plea seeks to restrain the corporation from reclaiming the land between Worli to Banganga
- HC should ask BMC to modify the design of the project and hold a meeting with stakeholders
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