Mumbai Faces Breathless Future: Bombay HC Warns of ‘Oxygen Cylinder’ Crisis Over Shrinking Mangroves
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
In a stinging critique of infrastructure-led environmental degradation, the Bombay High Court reportedly warned on Tuesday that Mumbaikars might one day be forced to carry oxygen cylinders to breathe if the destruction of the city's mangrove cover continues unchecked.
The grim prediction reportedly came during a hearing for a petition related to the high-profile Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, highlighting the intensifying friction between rapid urban development and ecological preservation.
“If mangroves disappear, people will have to carry oxygen cylinders for fresh air,” the bench observed, underscoring the vital role these coastal forests play in purifying the air, safeguarding biodiversity, and shielding the coastal metropolis from catastrophic flooding.
Project Specifications & Impact
Metric / Detail | Project Data |
Project Proponent | Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd. (MSETCL) |
Transmission Line Details | 13.06 km long, 132 KV capacity (connecting Dahanu to Ambesari, Palghar) |
Proposed Mangrove Felling | 847 trees |
Total Forest Land Impacted | 3.35 hectares |
Mangrove Forest Diverted | 1.9656 hectares |
Project Context & Legal Framework
- Core Purpose: The transmission line is a dedicated power corridor designed specifically to energize and run the upcoming Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train network.
- Alternative Route Assessments: To justify the current alignment, MSETCL confirmed it thoroughly evaluated three alternative pathways before selecting the route that inflicts the least possible environmental damage.
- The Judicial Mandate: Under a landmark 2018 Bombay High Court ruling, Maharashtra has a blanket ban on mangrove destruction. As a result, public infrastructure projects are legally prohibited from cutting mangroves without obtaining explicit, case-by-case clearance from the court.
Paper Forests and Failed Replantation
The High Court reportedly expressed deep skepticism over the state’s compensatory afforestation track record. The judges noted that while government agencies are quick to plant saplings to satisfy legal requirements, there is an absolute failure to ensure their survival.
“Authorities plant saplings just to show records, but many die due to a lack of care,” the court reportedly remarked, adding that planting trees in an entirely different, already-green region does nothing to offset the immediate environmental loss suffered by the affected coastal zone.
In response, Advocate General Milind Sathe reportedly informed the court that the Maharashtra government intends to shift away from distant afforestation. Instead, the state plans to identify degraded forest patches within the same local region to plant replacements. However, Sathe admitted that locating suitable, viable land would take time.
The court reiterated that its primary focus remains on the survival rate of new trees rather than mere bureaucratic box-ticking, leaving the permission for the project hanging in the balance as the hearing continues.
