Consider Sea-Level Rise in Growth Plans: Environmentalists

Environmentalists in Mumbai have urged Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take into account climate changes and rise in sea levels while planning future development projects. The suggestions came in the thematic workshop on environment, held by BMC, and may be integrated in its Development Plan (DP) 2014-2034.

Workshop on environment

The thematic workshop, held recently, was part of the workshop series by the BMC to prepare its DP for the period 2014-2034. Earlier it conducted a workshop on the topic “Transit-Oriented-Development”. The workshop on environment was attended by organizations such as Vanashakti, Conservation Action Trust (CAT), Mumbai Environmental Social Network, Mumbai Waterfronts Centre, Savwe Open Spaces, Observer Research Foundation, Citispace and PK Das & Associates.

Workshop participants came up with several inputs. The president of CAT said that forces of nature cannot be controlled irrespective of the BMC’s plans. Mumbai is primarily an island city and most of Mumbai’s present area was developed by reclaiming land from sea. Hence, BMC must consider climatic conditions as well as possible rise in sea levels when planning its development projects. It was further pointed that there was no need of higher FSI (floor space index) as coastal areas have the risk of eroding or getting submerged.

Key environmental points

Other points brought up in the workshop included water supply. Mumbai’s water supply depends on southwest monsoon rains. The civic body must consider the times when there are delays in monsoon as Mumbai doesn’t have a back-up. It imports water from 130 km away and uses the same water for drinking as well as washing cars.

Architects urged the civic body to make it mandatory to map all natural assets such as rivers, ponds, lakes, creeks beaches, sea fronts, wetlands, nallahs, hills and forests, and mangroves in the revised DP.

Environmental organizations and activists suggested that the revised DP must preserve whatever remained from the Aarey Milk Colony. The area is an extension of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, but was heavily exploited commercially. Organizations said that it must be treated as forest land and no commercial development should be allowed there. They also said that no development should be permitted in maidans, race course, Shivaji Park and Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

The BMC is expected to incorporate these suggestions in its revised development plan.