Committee finds no CRZ norms violations in Netravathi riverfront promenade work by Mangaluru Smart City Ltd.
There is only a sporadic presence of mangrove plants while the height of the existing stone masonry along the riverbank is being increased for enhanced protection
A committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal has said there was no presence of large Mangroves in the Netravathi riverfront promenade project area.
| Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
A committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal has said a bird watching area near the railway bridge is being dismantled.
| Photo Credit:
H.S. MANJUNATH
A joint committee, constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to probe allegations of violations in the implementation of the Netravathi riverfront promenade work by Mangaluru Smart City Ltd., has said it did not find any violations of conditions imposed by the Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority in its CRZ clearance.
It also said no significant damage was noted with regard to mangroves as alleged by the applicant, the National Environment Care Federation (NECF), during a physical inspection on June 11. Though a few mangrove plants, sporadic in nature, are noted in some locations, there are no large patches of mangroves meeting the CRZ requirement. In the Coastal Zone Management Plan map too, no large mangrove patches, including 1,000 sqm or more, are recorded.
The committee comprised Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan, Central Pollution Control Board scientist ‘E,’ T. Mahima, Union Environment Ministry Scientist ‘D,’ R. Sridhar and National Centre for Coastal Research, Chennai Scientist ‘E” Satya Kiran Raju.
Height increased above high flood level
Regarding NECF’s allegations of creating a 9 m wide space for a bicycle track and a walking path, the committee observed that MSCL had raised the height of the old stone masonry wall along the project area by 600 mm above the high flood level, as per the CRZ clearance dated October 7, 2022. The increase in height is to prevent flooding of the river bank, prevent erosion, stabilise the bank, and protect adjacent areas from inundation.
On allegations of MSCL dumping construction debris into the river, the committee said it did not find any dumping of solid waste into the river during the physical inspection. It also said the company had started dismantling a 42 sqm bird watching area bult near the railway bridge after it was found to be unauthorised.
Quoting the detailed project report, the committee said a 2.1 km stretch from the Netravathi bridge to the Bolara sea face is being developed as a riverfront comprising walking and bicycle tracks. Of the 2.1 km stretch, work has been executed for about 1.6 km distance in patches, it said.
The NGT Principal Bench and the Southern Bench had initiated separate suo motu proceedings against MSCL based on news reports. At present the Southern Bench is hearing the matters.
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