“You are requested to start the process of notification of the mangrove area under your control... through the Raigad collector and hand over it to the mangrove cell Mumbai at the earliest,” the letter stated. Officials from the mangrove cell told mid-day that the JNPT has assured to hand over the mangrove forest.

Environmentalist Stalin D from Vanashakti said, “It is deeply disappointing to see state agencies conveniently ignore orders of the judiciary to conserve mangroves. In the 2018 judgement, the HC gave three-month ultimatum to all agencies to handover mangroves to the forest department. JNPT knew about the order, but chose to ignore it for three years. Their answer that ‘since the forest department didn’t ask we did not give’ is just ridiculous. Meanwhile, CIDCO, MHADA, MMRDA, TMC, MBMC, and others are still continuing to ignore the court’s order. Why did the forest department not ask for the lands?.”

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Sources said the forest department will get a total of 1,194.62 hectares of mangrove land in Raigad district.