MUMBAI, November 11: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has decided to undertake mangrove plantation at Vikhroli in collaboration with the Godrej Trust to compensate for their destruction at Bhandup and Ghatkopar after the setting up of aerated lagoons. The project is slated to cost Rs 1,19,18,850.

The planatation will be carried out on 40 hectares of private land at Pirojsha Nagar, currently in the trust's possession. The trust was approached by the BMC as the civic body's garden department does not have the necessary expertise to plant, grow and maintain mangroves. Plantation work will be carried out in the next three years, assuming that the plants establish themselves within that period, after which the trust will be entrusted the job of maintaining them. As per an agreement drafted by the BMC, the trust has agreed to plant mangroves and also protect them on an annual payment.

The trust will totally receive Rs 69,65,200 towards the plantation, and will be paid Rs 30,000 per acre per year as plantation and maintenance cost for the next three years. The BMC will bear the entire financial burden involved in planting the mangroves and its allied activities. The labour involved in the plantation will, however, be paid for by the trust.

According to the agreement, whereby the trust has been agreed upon as the owner of the land, BMC officials will have to obtain permission from the trust to inspect the plantation. Also, the BMC will incur the cost required in carrying out cannaling to bring the land under plantation.

While according environment clearance to the construction of lagoons in 1995, the Ministry of Environment and Forests had laid down the condition that the BMC should carry out mangrove plantations along the Thane creek as compensation.

However, the BMC could not locate suitable land sites along the creek, and hence decided to carry it out at Vikhroli. It then unsuccessfully approached the department of salt commissioner and Samarth Land Development Corporation. Also, the BNHS, which was entrusted with the work of carrying out a survey of coastal creek areas in Mumbai to identify a suitable land also recommended Pirojsha Nagar.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.