Request the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change to Deny CRZ Clearance to the Mumbai Coastal Road

Dear Sir, We are most concerned that the minutes of the meeting of 257th EAC (CRZ) do not record any of our concerns mentioned in the written submissions submitted to MCZMA, MoEF&CC, and EAC. Once again we request you to please take note of our objections to the CRZ clearance and increase in reclamation area requested by the MCGM for the Coastal Road project on the following grounds: 1. MCGM’s proposal to increase the area to be reclaimed and reduce green spaces 2. Corals are classified as CRZ I A / Impact on marine biodiversity 3. Precautionary Principle not followed 4. Height of sea wall, impact on micro-climate. 5. Traffic studies not done and traffic not going to be sorted by the CR because of lack of public transport 6. Public money being used for a road that will be used by the rich 7. Need for obtaining Environmental Clearance 8. Livelihoods of Fisher Folk 9. Impact of Flooding 10. Climate Change We would like to state the following: The coastal road is an unnecessary project that is a abject waste of public money for the benefit of less than 2 percent of the population that drive in the comfort of their cars, whilst taking away resources from 98% of citizens who travel in great discomfort and risking their health and safety daily. It will worsen the transportation of Mumbai and set us back by over a decade in achieving goals of good viable transportation for ALL. The ill conceived coastal road needs only 20 hectares for the road space and is already filling 90 hectares in the intertidal zone of the sea. The design of the road can easily be done to limit the filling of the Sea within 90 hectares. The Mumbai Coastal road sets a very bad precedent for the entire coastline of Maharashtra, which can be destroyed by such filling, thus destroying fish spawning grounds, corrals and other protected species under the Wild Life Act. The precautions set forth in the earlier permissions of thorough tidal studies, preserving wild life and corals, preserving livelihoods of citizens living along the coast have all been flouted. The intertidal zone is a crucial aspect of the ecosystem of the sea and marine life, destroying by filling with rocks and sand will result in damage that we will regret in time, the loss of marine life and fish spawning grounds will directly affect the growth of fish in the sea. This will not only adversely affect fisherman but the common man because of the shortage of fish. Climate change is a phenomenon we are experiencing and it is scientifically known that rain storms will intensify, making a 9.8 kilometer dam in the form of a road exposes Mumbaikar’s to grave threats of flooding. It must be made mandatory to obtain a NOC from the Environmental Ministry since it is mandatory for all projects costing more than Rs. 500 crores or covering an area more than 20,000 sq. m. For a project of such magnitude as the coastal road it must be mandatory. The officials of the MoEF are the constitutionally appointed protectors of the Indian environment. There is no project in Maharashtra that will cause more damage to the coast than the Coastal road. And the precedent it will set for the entire coastline of the State and the country is alarming. You are duty bound to stop this destruction. We once again request you to consider our representations and written submissions on the said amendment of = the CRZ clearance of the Coastal Road project. We would be grateful if you would kindly give a hearing to the petitioners against this project before a decision is taken. Sincerely,

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