Mumbai: Observing that Vadhvan Port project in Palghar district is a public utility of national importance with wider economic significance, Bombay high court has permitted clearance of mangrove patches in a reclamation zone for an approach area.A division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande on Tuesday permitted the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to fell 208 mangrove trees for the construction of an eight-lane access-controlled highway linking the upcoming port to NH-48.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the Rs 76,220-crore port project, which vies to be the top 10 container ports in the world, on August 30, 2024.The NHAI which sought the HC nod for felling mangrove trees — a requirement following an earlier court ruling to protect mangroves from unnecessary felling — informed the bench that all necessary environmental, coastal regulation zone, and forest clearances have been received and compensatory afforestation requirements are being complied with.The HC said the proposed port “would open an opportunity for India to make it into the countries with top 10 container ports in the world”.The court, in its order, also noted that the NHAI had undertaken plantation of over 1.3 lakh mangroves on 30 hectares of land and deposited more than Rs 4.8 crore towards mangrove compensatory afforestation, apart from other payments required under forest clearance conditions.
