The High Court was hearing a petition stating that the ongoing reclamation is not only illegal but will also irreversibly alter the coastal morphology, biodiversity and traditional ecological practices.
Coastal road project: HC asks BMC to stop all reclamation work, maintain status quo
Sailee Dhayalkar, The Indian Express, 24 April 2019
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said it’s April 16 order, asking the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to “maintain status quo in respect of the reclamation work” of the coastal road project, will continue till June 3.
On the previous hearing, the BMC had informed the court that if the project is on hold, the state will incur a loss of Rs 10 crore per day. The High Court was hearing a petition filed by city-based architect Shweta Wagh and eight other petitioners, stating that the ongoing reclamation is not only illegal but will also irreversibly alter the coastal morphology, biodiversity and traditional ecological practices.
It also states that the coastal road and the ongoing reclamation works are in patent breach of the law on environment clearances, traditional rights and jurisdiction.
Senior Counsel Shrihari Aney, arguing for the BMC, informed the court that the BMC and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) have filed two separate affidavits.