Last Saturday 20,000 waders and 325 flamingos visited the mudflats at Sewri, the most prominent congregation spot for the migratory birds in Mumbai. This number is going to reduce to zero as soon as construction work on the much-talked about Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) starts, feels the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), which had a discussion on the dangers of the proposed road-cum-rail link from Sewri to Nhava yesterday at its office in Fort.
The alternative route, which is 500-700 metres south of the planned alignment, has been suggested to safeguard the mudflats at Sewri. However, the suggested alignment, which was prepared by Tata Consultancy Services about six years ago, is close to Elephanta Caves, which have been declared a heritage site, thereby limiting construction around or near it.
Countering this, Dr. Asad Rahmani, Director of BHNS said, “It is surprising how we are ready to safeguard man made structures and destroy nature.” The BNHS intends to have a dialogue with the MMRDA soon in order to push for the new alignment, terming it as the only possible way to save the flamingos. Ruling out litigation, Dr. Rahmani said that it was the organisation’s job to try and push for things through dialogue.
Every year, around 15,000 lesser flamingos, which have been classified as a ‘near threatened’ species, flock to the open mudflats of Trombay and Sewri, along the Arabian Sea.
According to BHNS, this annual phenomenon will cease to take place once the construction is started. Insisting that the cost of damaging the environment cannot be termed as an ‘additional cost’ and thus, a reason for not considering the alternative route, Dr. Rahmani pointed out that the impact of the project on nature should have been estimated right at the beginning. “Even if it was not done, at least now the implementing agency should look into it and not term it as a mere cost escalation,” he points out.
Speaking to the paper about the alternative route suggested to the previous implementing agency, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), Metropolitan Commissioner of MMRDA, Rahul Asthana said, “I am aware about the problems relating to the flamingos. The MSRDC had made certain changes in the alignment to reduce the damage to the mudflats, and now that the MMRDA is implementing the project, we are simply following the alignment due to operational issues. However, we are open to discussion with the BNHS about what they have to say.”