The plan envisages creation of a complex in which information on birds, mangroves and the environment in general would be given. Besides, there would be an observatory for bird-watchers.

A presentation on the issue was made by an NGO Srushtidnyan at the meeting of the board of trustees in January-end. The NGO is involved in imparting environmental education to students and other sections of society for the past three years. It presented the problems faced by students and birdwatchers. It also enlisted factors like untreated water being released in the mudflats; noise pollution; dumping of debris and uncontrolled growth of trees like Subabhool that were damaging mangroves and disturbing the birds.

“We have been given the green signal by the MbPT and we are working out a detailed plan, which will be submitted within ten days,” project director of Srushtidnyan, Sangeeta Kharat told Newsline. “We have already shortlisted two-three probable sites for creating the complex for students and birdwatchers. The location would be finalized by the MbPT officials soon.” She said that the project was aimed at protecting the ecology on the one hand and creating facilities for students and birdwatchers visited the area.

After submitting the plan to the MbPT, a joint visit is on the anvil with port officials, she said, to finalise the location of the birdwatching complex and spots that need corrective measures in the interest of the environment.

“We are in favour of the environmental protection plan for the coastal area at Sewree and have watched the presentation,” trustee Prakash Binsale said. “We are looking forward for developing the area in a manner that it would protect the birds and the mangroves and also provide facilities for visitors.”

He said, “Money is not the problem…it needs to be done in the interest of environmental protection.” He said that while the detailed project was being worked out, the estimated cost could work out to between Rs 1 and Rs 2 crore.

He also said that a facelift for the Sewree Fort was also in the offing by the MbPT in collaboration with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. “The plan is to develop the fort into an observatory for birdwatching…the MTDC is working out the details,” he said.

The entire Sewree mudflats area was declared protected area by the MbPT in 1996. Every year, migratory birds flock to the swamps in thousands. The species of birds that visit the area include flamingos, egrets, blacktailed godwits, Indian pond herons, sandpipers and gulls. In December last year, four flamingos were killed in the swamps across the harbour near Uran.