The National Green Tribunal has taken suo motu cognizance of the severe decline in Vishakhapatnam’s mangrove forests, due to rapid development and urbanization.
The original application is registered suo motu on the basis of the news item dated November 16, 2024.
As per the article, the once sprawling coastal ecosystems have now been reduced to mere patches, raising serious concerns among environmentalists about coastal protection and biodiversity loss.
The news item highlights that the loss of mangroves poses a serious risk to both coastal protection and biodiversity, as mangroves play a crucial role in preventing shoreline erosion and providing habitat for various bird species.
It is alleged that the number of mangrove and halophyte patches has sharply decreased over the years. In 1989, there were six mangrove patches and seven halophyte patches; by 2008, halophyte patches had reduced to four, while mangrove patches remained at six. However, by 2023, the number of mangrove patches had dwindled to just three, even as the number of halophyte patches increased to seven.
Furthermore, it is stated that the impact on bird biodiversity has been particularly severe. Previously, these areas supported remarkable avian diversity: 66 species at the Gosthani River mouth, 93 species at another location along the same river, 159 species downstream at Meghadri Gedda, 90 species at a nearby water body, 88 species near Vizag Airport, and 99 species near the Visakhapatnam Port Trust mangroves. Alarmingly, the usual arrival of migratory birds in midNovember 2023 was not observed, indicating a disturbing change in these crucial habitats.
Moreover, The Meghadri Gedda area, which flows into the Bay of Bengal near Visakhapatnam Harbour, exemplifies this decline. Once flourishing with mangroves, the area from the Naval Dockyard to the Meghadri Gedda reservoir near the Visakhapatnam International Airport has been significantly reduced, primarily due to construction debris and encroachment.
The article alleges that despite conservation efforts, including a 2016 initiative by the Visakhapatnam Port Trust to restore mangroves over 50 acres, progress has been minimal. The Gosthani river mouth mangroves in Bheemili have dwindled to approximately 150-200 individual plants.
The news item also highlights a 2023 study by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education-Coastal Ecosystem Centre (ICFRECEC) identified around 220 hectares of mangrove patches in the district, which were not included in the Forest Survey of India’s biennial mapping.
The Principal Bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, Arun Kumar Tyagi Judicial Member and Dr A Senthil Vel, Expert Member, has observed that the matter indicates a violation of the provisions of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notifications, 2011; Biodiversity Act, 2002; Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 and the Environment Protection Act, 1980.
The NGT has impleaded several respondents, including the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, among others.
The Tribunal has directed the respondents to file their responses/replies by way of affidavit before the Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing.
The NGT has transferred the original application to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai, for further action and listed the matter for hearing on January 10, 2025.
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The original application is registered suo motu on the basis of the news item dated November 16, 2024.
As per the article, the once sprawling coastal ecosystems have now been reduced to mere patches, raising serious concerns among environmentalists about coastal protection and biodiversity loss.
The news item highlights that the loss of mangroves poses a serious risk to both coastal protection and biodiversity, as mangroves play a crucial role in preventing shoreline erosion and providing habitat for various bird species.
It is alleged that the number of mangrove and halophyte patches has sharply decreased over the years. In 1989, there were six mangrove patches and seven halophyte patches; by 2008, halophyte patches had reduced to four, while mangrove patches remained at six. However, by 2023, the number of mangrove patches had dwindled to just three, even as the number of halophyte patches increased to seven.
Furthermore, it is stated that the impact on bird biodiversity has been particularly severe. Previously, these areas supported remarkable avian diversity: 66 species at the Gosthani River mouth, 93 species at another location along the same river, 159 species downstream at Meghadri Gedda, 90 species at a nearby water body, 88 species near Vizag Airport, and 99 species near the Visakhapatnam Port Trust mangroves. Alarmingly, the usual arrival of migratory birds in midNovember 2023 was not observed, indicating a disturbing change in these crucial habitats.
Moreover, The Meghadri Gedda area, which flows into the Bay of Bengal near Visakhapatnam Harbour, exemplifies this decline. Once flourishing with mangroves, the area from the Naval Dockyard to the Meghadri Gedda reservoir near the Visakhapatnam International Airport has been significantly reduced, primarily due to construction debris and encroachment.
The article alleges that despite conservation efforts, including a 2016 initiative by the Visakhapatnam Port Trust to restore mangroves over 50 acres, progress has been minimal. The Gosthani river mouth mangroves in Bheemili have dwindled to approximately 150-200 individual plants.
The news item also highlights a 2023 study by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education-Coastal Ecosystem Centre (ICFRECEC) identified around 220 hectares of mangrove patches in the district, which were not included in the Forest Survey of India’s biennial mapping.
The Principal Bench, comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, Arun Kumar Tyagi Judicial Member and Dr A Senthil Vel, Expert Member, has observed that the matter indicates a violation of the provisions of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notifications, 2011; Biodiversity Act, 2002; Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 and the Environment Protection Act, 1980.
The NGT has impleaded several respondents, including the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, among others.
The Tribunal has directed the respondents to file their responses/replies by way of affidavit before the Southern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing.
The NGT has transferred the original application to the Southern Zonal Bench, Chennai, for further action and listed the matter for hearing on January 10, 2025.
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