On May 3, the Gujarat High Court issued a notice to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and district authorities for removing mangroves to prepare a cricket ground along the seashore in Amreli’s Jafrabad.

During the hearing of a PIL, the petitioner argued that in December 2023, the mangroves in the Jafrabad seashore area were cleared, replaced by a cricket pitch.

Citing the environmental laws, the petitioner said that as the area falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), it is not permissible to remove mangroves. 

A complaint was also filed by the petitioner at the mamlatdar office and the district collector’s office. However, no actions were taken, alleged the petitioner.

The bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee sought a response from the GPCB and Amreli district authorities.

Gujarat mangroves

Gujarat’s mangrove, being the second largest after Sundarbans in West Bengal, is home to diverse marine life and vegetation.

Mangroves are an imperative part of the coastal ecosystem as it protects coastlines from erosion and storm surges.

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