Mangaluru: NGT asks MSCL to stop waterfront project in Mangaluru

Mangaluru: The National Green Tribunal (NGT), southern zone, Chennai has restrained Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) from carrying out work along the river in the CRZ area under the Netravati Waterfront Promenade project in Mangaluru till the next hearing.The NGT issued the interim order based on a complaint filed by the National Environment Care Federation (NECF).”Though only the river bank work is restrained, it has been made clear to MSCL that if any work is carried out in violation of the imposed rules, the structures will be demolished, along with heavy costs will be imposed,” the order said.The NGT had recently ordered the formation of a joint committee to submit a detailed report on the project. The tribunal had asked the joint committee members to submit a report before June 24. Any failure to inspect and submit the report will attract costs to be paid personally by the joint committee members, it said. The Karnataka SCZMA (Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority) has confirmed that certain works were carried out by MSCL in violation of NOC conditions, particularly on the riverbank in the CRZ area. SCZMA officials had inspected the site on May 30 and found that at one site, work was carried out in the CRZ-IB area in violation of NOC conditions. The applicant had submitted photographs highlighting the violations and the photographs were taken capturing latitude and longitude details on various dates to claim that construction work was going on in the CRZ area, destroying mangrove forest and violating the conditions imposed in the NOC. The tribunal has expressed displeasure over the joint committee constituted by the principal bench of the NGT for failing to submit a report. The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) failed to nominate a member to the joint committee. The tribunal also expressed displeasure on noting that effective steps were not taken by the DK Deputy Commissioner (who is also a member of the joint committee and nodal officer) to obtain nominations from the NCCR. If cooperation is not received from the NCCR, the DK DC should make it clear that violation of the tribunal’s order will be taken very seriously and prosecution will have to be initiated against the concerned authority.