Marine Resources
Development vs Conservation
-Susan Sharma
"A division bench of the Gujarat high court refused to direct the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to allow another environment impact and risk assessment study to develop Positra port. This effectively sealed the fate of the proposed port near
Jamnagar."
Newspaper reports in the first week of September gave the news some importance.
Dr. M.K. Ranjitsinh and Dr. Asad R. Rahamani submitted their joint written report to the Standing Committee wherein the following recommendations have been made :-
"We are of the considered opinion that the country cannot have both the Positra Port and the Gulf of Kutch Marine national Park for the purpose it was established. The choice would, therefore, have to be made between the Park and the Port. Since the nodal Ministry
in this regard is the MoEF, the stand that should be taken is that the interest of the marine national Park should prevail that over the Positra Port and that this proposal of establishing a port at Positra should be rejected."
"While discussing, the proposal on Positra Port, it was observed that the Marine National Park was highly rich in Marine Bio diversity and his highly ecologically fragile area. The Standing Committee also took a note of the recommendation of Swaminathan committee
on Development of new Ports. It has recommended no development of any port within 10 kms. from Ecological fragile area/Protected areas. Committee also considered the report of the inspecting team of the Standing Committee consisting of Dr. M.K. Ranjitsingh
and Dr. Asad Rahmani recommending rejection of the proposal for conservation of marine biodiversity in Marine National Park. Under this background the committee unanimously rejected the proposal to carry out study for EIA for establishment of Port at Positra."
Full details of the judgment can be read at
http://indiankanoon.org/doc/568897/
We had published a report on a visit to Kutch Marine National Park, Jamnagar in our ezine earlier, which can be read at
http://www.indianwildlifeclub.com/ezine/view/details.aspx?aid=436
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