NAVI MUMBAI: Environmental groups have welcomed the Maharashtra government’s appointment of the Aerodrome Environment Management Committee (AEMC) but are calling for changes in its composition. They have urged the government to appoint a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge as the panel’s chairperson.
Given the allegations of environmental violations against CIDCO, the city’s planning authority, its Managing Director should not lead the AEMC, NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar stated in a letter to the Chief Minister.
“Airport environmental concerns directly impact people’s lives. It is crucial to have an independent chairman to ensure fair oversight,” Kumar emphasized.
He also pointed out that despite Navi Mumbai International Airport’s (NMIA) commitment to implementing the Bombay Natural History Society’s (BNHS) recommendations for biodiversity conservation, numerous violations have occurred.
Major wetlands—critical habitats for thousands of migratory and local birds—are being systematically destroyed through landfill dumping and blocked intertidal water flow, he alleged.
Kumar proposed setting up a complaint box for alert citizens to report environmental concerns, which could then be verified by officials and reviewed by the AEMC.
Nandakumar Pawar, head of Sagar Shakti, highlighted that of the six major wetlands identified by BNHS, the Belpada wetland was leased to JNPA, while Bhendkhal and Panje were sold to NMSEZ (now NMIIA).
Sandeep Sareen of the Navi Mumbai Environmental Preservation Society (NMEPS) raised concerns about the deteriorating conditions of the DPS Flamingo Lake and the NRI Wetlands due to water blockage.
“This disruption forces birds to abandon their usual habitats and fly erratically, increasing the risk of bird strikes at NMIA,” NatConnect said, citing BNHS studies.
Biodiversity protection was a key condition for NMIA’s environmental clearance, and the airport authorities have repeatedly assured the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC) of their compliance, the environmental watchdog added.
For context, BNHS was appointed by CIDCO to conduct a Baseline Survey of Avian Fauna from 2012 to 2016. CIDCO also signed a 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BNHS, valid until 2028, for long-term monitoring, conservation, and supervision of terrestrial and aquatic birds in the NMIA region.
In its compliance report, NMIA acknowledged concerns about bird activity at NRI Wetlands, Training Ship Chanakya, and DPS Flamingo Lake due to their proximity to the airport’s Inner Horizontal Surface (IHS). However, BNHS countered these concerns, citing data showing that birds in the Thane Creek area typically fly well below aircraft flight paths.
