The NGT also constituted another expert committee to study the extent of the damage to mangroves in 58 acres and assess the environmental compensation required for restoration of the mangroves.
The National Green Tribunal has found the Andhra Pradesh government guilty in connection with the destruction of around 18 acres of mangrove forests in the coastal areas of Kakinada district allegedly to distribute house sites to the landless poor.
An NGT (Southern Zone) bench, comprising Justice K Ramakrishnan and Dr Korlapati Satyagopal, also asked the state government to pay an interim compensation of Rs. 5 crore for the damage caused to the mangroves.
The money should be deposited with the AP Coastal Zone Management Authority (APCZMA) and it could be utilised for restoration, protection, conservation and preservation of the existing mangroves in the coastal area, the NGT order stated.
Though the bench pronounced the judgement on September 29, 2022, it was uploaded on the official site on Tuesday. The NGT was acting on a writ petition filed by environmentalist Satyanarayana Bolisetty in March 2020.
On December 25, 2019, the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government had launched a programme called “Navaratnalu-Pedalandarik Illu,” (nine jewels-house sites for all the poor) in the state under which each landless poor family would be allotted one cent (50 square yards) of land for the construction of houses.
The government identified 58 acres for the scheme in the coastal area of Kakinada, which has been part of the mangrove forests, spread over 116 acres. Even as the authorities began levelling of the site in March 2020, Bolisetty moved the NGT, challenging the move.
He complained that the authorities were destroying mangrove forests in parts of Dummulapeta, Parloipeta of Kakinada district, in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2011 and 2019, where the areas has been classified as CRZ-I and CRZ–IA. The NGT constituted a six-member joint expert committee on April 30, 2020, headed by C Palpandi, scientist from ministry of environment and forests to look into the cutting of mangrove forests and asked the government to stop the project in the area till further orders.
The committee which made extensive study of the area, submitted a report to the NGT on March 17, 2021, confirming the destruction of nearly 30% of the mangrove area at the site. The committee also directed the district administration not to proceed with the township project and to take “remedial measures” for “rejuvenation of mangroves”.
“The mangrove area also falls under Coastal Regulatory Zone-I area, which is ecologically sensitive and the geomorphologic features of this zone play a role in maintaining the integrity of the coast. As per CRZ notification 2011, no new construction shall be permitted in CRZ-I,” the committee noted.
In the judgement pronounced on September 29, 2022, the NGT directed the government to remove the obstruction caused to the creek, passing through the proposed project area, so as to ensure the free flow of seawater to enable the sustenance of the mangroves.
The NGT also constituted another expert committee to study the extent of the damage to mangroves in 58 acres and assess the environmental compensation required for restoration of the mangroves.
The committee will comprise one member each from National Coastal Zone Management Authority (NCZMA), Andhra Pradesh Coastal Zone Management Authority, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, East Godavari Estuarine Ecosystem Foundation, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History and National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management.
The NGT asked the committee to submit the report within six months and restrained the state government from carrying out the construction of the project in CRZ–IA. It directed the authorities to not make any attempts to convert the land use as it may affect the existence of the mangroves.
Till the final assessment of the damage is made by the expert committee, the tribunal asked the government to pay interim compensation of ₹5 crore to the APCZMA within six months and carry out the restoration process of the mangroves as suggested by the committee so as to ensure that the survival rate of mangroves is not less than 85%.
Kakinada collector Krithika Shukla could not be reached for reaction as she was in an official meeting.
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