Mumbai: Environmentalist, govt row over Aarey lake beautification

Representation pic

The plan to rejuvenate and beautify Aarey Lake, also known as the renowned Chota Kashmir Lake at Aarey Milk Colony, has ignited conflict between environmentalists and the government. While the Public Works Department has issued a tender worth Rs 10.58 crore for the project, a Mumbai-based environmentalist argues that the project, including desilting work, is unnecessary." He pointed out that there have been no idol immersions in the lake for the past two years, and considers the expenditure on desilting a misallocation of resources.

The Special Project Divison (Aarey) of the Public Works Department (PWD) had invited tenders and the tender mentioned that Rejuvenation and Facelift of Aarey Lake, Parking Facility at an estimated cost of Rs 10,58,32,810. Environmentalist Stalin D from NGO Vanashakti wrote to the department: "We have encountered an advertisement regarding a tender for the rejuvenation of Chota Kashmir Lake and its surroundings.

The proposed work includes concreting the area adjacent to the lake. It seems that your office may not be aware of the Wetland Rules of 2010 and 2017, as well as the orders from the Hon'ble Bombay High Court in PIL 87 of 2013 and the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in Writ Petition 230 of 2001, which protect wetlands identified in the National Wetland Atlas."

Stalin said the water bodies and wetlands within Ecologically Sensitive Zones receive special protection and claimed that the proposed activities lack court sanction and could be environmentally damaging. "You must maintain a distance of at least 50 meters from the lake's high flood line and ensure that any work undertaken does not compromise the lake's ecology and hydrology."

Stalin also pointed out that Chota Kashmir Lake is not a man-made tank but is a lake inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. "Has the eco-sensitive zone management committee cleared this work? Please avoid any legal battle on this issue and take corrective action," he said. When contacted, PWD officials were unavailable for comment.