The fate of Mumbai’s shoreline is up for grabs, and environmentalists have issued a final call to action.

Abhay Shah - April 15, 2022

The state’s coastal zone council is about to examine Mumbai’s Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP), which was approved by the Centre over a year ago and published online two months ago. The CZMP has been chastised by environmentalists and concerned residents for allowing more building activities near the shoreline without considering the implications of global warming. According to experts, the hazard line’s demarcation is at its core and is based on outdated data.

Environmentalist Debi Goenka stated her opposition to the plan in a letter to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), pointing out that significant changes between the original CZMP maps and the final maps for Mumbai’s city and suburban districts were made without explanation.

“The hazard line in the final CZMP ignores the certainty of sea-level rise and global warming, which is one of the most serious flaws. By 2050, according with BMC commissioner, 80 percent of the island metropolis will be flooded. The risk line included in the 2020 draught CZMPs has not been changed and is based on outdated information “According to Goenka.

The development is “just for information,” according to Manisha Mhaiskar, Principal Secretary for Environment, who also heads the MCZMA. ‘Approval of CZMPs of Mumbai City and Suburban District under CRZ Notification, 2019′, according to the agenda.

“As sea levels rise, Mumbai, like other coastal cities, is at risk of flooding. The Mumbai Climate Action Plan is part of a larger initiative to reduce the city’s and citizens’ vulnerability to climate change. This must be reflected in the Coastal Zone Management Plan. Those who designed and approved it, on the other hand, are doing the city a disservice. Given the city’s changing climate and expectations, officials must be willing to modify the plan every few years rather than commit to it for the next two decades or more.” TimesView is a website that keeps you up to date on current events worldwide.

According to Goenka, highrises, including slum rehabilitation schemes, are being approved along the coast based on the CZMP, despite the risks of relying on outdated data. “All of these structures will be submerged by 2050. People’s lives and property are at risk. The hazard line must be redrawn using the most recent IPCC speed data “This is what he said.

The hazard line marking, according to advocate Godfrey Pimenta, clearly indicates that the area from Bandra to Versova will flood in the future. The hazard line encompasses large portions of the Bandra-Kurla Complex and Kalanagar, both of which are expected to flood in the future. Other areas that will be affected range from Madh to Gorai. “The hazard line has been decoupled from the CRZ regulatory regime and is now only to be used for disaster management and the planning of adaptive and mitigation measures. It must be considered in the Development Plan 2034 “He stated.