Green signal for Shivaji statue protesters to raise red flag

  • | Thursday | 19th July, 2018

Nagpur: The state’s plan for a Shivaji statue off the Gateway in Mumbai may face a fresh hurdle. “The construction of statue will block the flow of water during high tide and it will change waves, currents and the shoreline. “The environment and CRZ Clearance of February 23, 2015, have got amended on June 15. Also, the project will create a permanent impact on the aquatic life and will result in loss of marine biodiversity along with disturbing flora and fauna,” they said. “We had first filed an appeal in 2016 but it was pending.

Nagpur: The state’s plan for a Shivaji statue off the Gateway in Mumbai may face a fresh hurdle. The National Green Tribunal’s Pune bench has permitted a few opposing the project to file an amended appeal.In 2016, Mumbai-based 67-year-old fisherman Damodar Tandel and 48-year-old businessman Pradip Patade had approached the green court citing that the project will destroy 110-kilometer coastal area near Mumbai and affect the livelihoods of many fishermen. The petitioners had also alleged that the process of acquiring environmental and Costal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances was done without the mandatory process of a public hearing.However, last month, a high-powered committee set up to overview the mid-sea statue gave its nod to raise the height of the statue by 2 meters. Following this, executive engineer of the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Project Division recently filed an affidavit in the NGT, stating that the statue’s height has been increased to 212 meters.The affidavit further stated that the expert appraisal committee (EAC), during a meeting held in April this year, approved the proposed amendment to the environmental clearance. “The environment and CRZ Clearance of February 23, 2015, have got amended on June 15. The project proponent is currently under process of applying for various applicable permissions in respect of increased height of the project,” it said.Following the amendment in clearances, the counsel of the petitioners Asim Sarode sought an amendment in their appeal challenging the clearances from the green court. NGT west zone bench comprising of Justice Sonam Wangdi and Dr Nagin Nanda granted permission to amend the appeal memo and file it with new additions.According to Sarode, the petition will now get cleared from the legal complications it was facing due to certain limitations. “We had first filed an appeal in 2016 but it was pending. We are now hopeful that the case will be heard in an expedited manner,” he said.The appellants have alleged that the clearances are obtained under pressure from the state government and political influence without keeping in mind the environmental impacts. “The construction of statue will block the flow of water during high tide and it will change waves, currents and the shoreline. Also, the project will create a permanent impact on the aquatic life and will result in loss of marine biodiversity along with disturbing flora and fauna,” they said.

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