AN UNPAYABLE GROWTH

-BY JULFIKAR CHOWDHURY

RECENTLY, MAHARASHTRA TRANSPORT MINISTER DIWAKAR RAOTE
SADLY OBSERVED THAT AROUND 15 HECTARES MANGROVES WILL BE
AFFECTED BY THE PROPOSED MUMBAI-AHMEDABAD BULLET TRAIN
PROJECT AND OTHERS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE STATE WAS
ADMITTING THE EXTENT OF ECOLOGICAL DESTRUCTION THAT THE
PROJECT WITH COST ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES THAT THE BULLET
TRAIN ROUTE OCCURS TRIBAL AREAS FOR A SLANG HILL RIVERS
BACKWATERS AND OTHER CITY HABITATION THE DISTURBING THE
ECOSYSTEM.
IN THE PART ONE DECADE OR SO THE GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED
TO AT LEAST 3 MAJOR AND SEVERAL OTHER MEDIUM AND SMALL
PROJECTS WHICH HAVE DIRECTLY IMPACTED ON THE STATE ECOLOGY.
THE BULLET TRAIN PROJECT, THE AMBITIOUS MUMBAI COASTAL ROAD,
THE TRANS-HARBOUR LINK, THE NAVI MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
AND THE ONGOING METRO REPROJECT A SET TO DESTROY WETLANDS,
AXE THOUSANDS OF PLANTS AND DISPLACE SEVERAL ECOSYSTEMS. THE
HEAVY RAINFALL THAT MUMBAI RECEIVES EVERY MONSOON IS ENOUGH
TO CAUSE QUITE A HAVOC AND NOW IT’S WATER-LOGGING PROBLEM IN
THE CITY IS ONLY GOING TO WORSEN, RESEARCHERS HAVE SAID.
ANOTHER SUCH INSTANCE IS THE NAVI MUMBAI INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT (NMIA). CONSTRUCTED TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE OF THE
OVERLOADED CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT (CSMIA), THE NMIA IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROJECTS THE
COUNTRY HAS EVER WITNESSED. ALTHOUGH THIS AIRPORT PROVIDES
MANY JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND GIVES A BOOST TO BUSINESS
INFRASTRUCTURE, MANY EXPERTS HAVE EXTENDED QUESTIONS OVER
ITS DISADVANTAGES. AROUND 4000 FAMILIES FROM 10 VILLAGES HAVE
BEEN AFFECTED DUE TO THE AIRPORT CONSTRUCTION AND FISHERIES
HAVE BEEN DESTRUCTED, THUS THE LIFESTYLE OF LOCAL FISHERMAN
HAVE BEEN DISTURBED.
ALSO, ACTIVISTS HAVE RAISED MANY GREEN CONCERNS FOR
THE AIRPORT SITE. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT PLANS, AROUND 400
ACRES OF MANGROVES, 1,000 ACRES OF MUD-FLATS, 300 ACRES OF
FOREST AREA HAVE TO BE DESTROYED AND FIVE RIVERS HAVE TO BE
DIVERTED. THE SITE IS NOT FAR FROM KARNALA BIRD SANCTUARY,
RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT BIRD POPULATION AND MARINE LIFE.
OVERALL, TO SAY ECOLOGICALLY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DUG ITS OWN
GRAVE.