URAN, the lost wetland: Our crusade to save it
Does your heart wrench, when you see the 2 collages below? This is the saga of this paradise - the Uran wetlands, that we lost in 2010, to human greed.
Uran wetlands were home to around 200 species, including migratory birds. Not less than an estimated 75 species would breed there. First breeding records of several bird species had been found at Uran eg the black breasted weaver birds, a species which was found breeding in the region after 52 yrs. Several of the IUCN Red Data status birds would regularly winter here. eg. the lesser flamingos, black tailed godwit, painted storks, oriental white ibis etc. It was a wintering area for many other bird species, including several Critically Endangered, Vulnerable and Near-threatened species. Many bird ringing studies have been conducted by senior ornithologists here. Uran was an important stopover for several passage migrant birds that came in from as far as Europe, Central Asia and the Arctic Tundra. This kind of a unique ecosystem does not exist anywhere for long distances & thus this was a crucial link in the life cycle of hundreds of migratory waders & other species of birds. Uran was also home to other endangered species like the monitor lizard.
(ref: 1.thesis by Ms. Kamini Thakur an MSc student, completed under the guidance of WWF India, 2. records of bird sightings from 2000 to 2009 put up on e-groups like ‘birdsofbombay’, 3. ‘The Mumbai Nature Guide’ by eminent Ornithologist Sunjoy Monga)
Other than birds, four species of mangrove associates were also found at Uran. Seven terrestrial plant species including the Gloriosa superba i.e. Glory lilly, which is an endangered plant species according to IUCN criteria were also observed. Many Science students from Mumbai have done their projects and nature study at Uran.
Thousands of birdwatchers used to frequent these areas. I was one among those thousands. Uran is approximately 60 km from Mumbai and over the years we had seen how the route to this wetland had seen a complete change of habitat and biodiversity. There was a time in 2002, when we would reach Uran not before 10 am because the route from Mumbai to Uran was full of multiple waterbodies, teeming with birds. Gradually, the route became a township and there was no sign of water-bodies or bird life. Every weekend for birders like us from Mumbai, was a time to look forward to. Any stress or work pressures during the week were surmountable when one thought of another visit to Uran at the upcoming weekend. Look at these pics and you will know what I mean.
The satellite images (courtesy Dr Babasaheb Gaekwad) show the dense mangrove cover that Uran enjoyed.
Other than being an important biodiversity spot, many locals depended on it for their livelihood. Every member of the local village family, could easily earn about Rs. 5000 a month.
All was well till about Oct 2009. Then for some reasons we couldn't visit the place till Jan 2010. When we went back there in Jan 2010, we were numbed !!!! The lips had no words and the eyes were full of tears. How could someone do this? Why? How? When?.......questions, questions, questions....but no answers. Look what our paradise had been turned into
Under the projects of Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust - Special Economic Zone (JNPT-SEZ) extensive reclamation of wetlands & killing of mangroves had taken place. Many areas demarcated for development of SEZs were fragile ecosystems & fall under CRZ I zone, meaning no development could be allowed there as per Indian laws. How did this happen then? Was it legal? Who gave the permissions? A wall had been constructed all along the edge of the sea coast, killing swathes of mangroves.
My friends Kalpana Malani and Kamini Thakur ( a young girl who had just completed her MSc thesis on Uran), thought we must do something and see if there is a possibility of recovery. Our expert friends from the wildlife fraternity were consulted and they said it still wasn't too late and if people came together, the wetlands will recover. The 3 of us pleaded for help but saw none forthcoming- though we were willing to lead. We decided to do whatever possible just with the 3 of us. At least let us not give up without fighting.
OUR CRUSADE TO SAVE URAN WETLANDS
Online petition
We first hosted an online petition to create awareness to save Uran wetlands on 20th March 2010 at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-uran-wetlands. This was signed by about 1150 people, including some eminent naturalists
Contacting govt departments, officials & JNPT as well as NM SEZ through couriers & emails: We then wrote to several people in the state & central govt as also the JNPT SEZ & NM SEZ authorities. We also wrote to the heads of political parties, the chief minister, prime minister, president, minister of environment and forests (who was known to be a defender of the green cause). Despite several emails nobody responded except the minister of environment. He asked us to send us the details so that he could pursue the matter. We were a little hopeful. We prepared extensive maps with the layout plan of the SEZs (we had managed to procure these somehow) and how brazenly the rules had been violated.
Meanwhile, we also filed RTIs and asked for the Complete Approved Master Plans with all annexures and supplementary reports, maps, graphs, phases of the project, approved project timelines and details. No reply. 2 months later we filed RTIs again. We got a reply saying the details were not available.
Meanwhile, the minister of environment promised to send someone for a field visit with us and gave us the contact details of the person. We chased the person for 2 months but the visit did not happen. Meanwhile we thought of explaining our stand to the authorities, to tell them that we are not against development and are not asking for SEZs to be scrapped, but just that some small areas indicated on maps be left alone. The areas we were referring to were a very small part of the entire SEZs and there was a possibility of reviving them as these pics show.
2 months later, an official did visit the place with us and said she will look into the matter and revert to us.
We meanwhile prepared a draft plan for revival and sent it to the govt, as that was the post-monsoon period and the best time to try and revive the mangroves. An expert on mangroves, who was our friend even offered his free service to the govt for his guidance & technical expertise for restoration of Uran. But that was the last we ever heard from the authorities. We tried for 6 more months then realized the only option and hope for us now is the legal route.
But we neither did we have a compassionate lawyer who would fight for us at no cost, nor the money to spend on a legal case. Not to forget, that like most of the Indian middle-class, we need to earn for ourselves and our families and couldn't give up our jobs to take up the cause of Uran, full-time. Nor could our employers afford to give us a sabbatical. That is the irony of most crusades in India. The powers-that-be are well aware that the common man has too many crusades in his own life to be able to fight illegal activities in the country at large. At every step, our friends in the media did help us by bringing up this issue in the newspapers, but they too lost out when it came to the issue of grabbing eyeballs. Most of the times the story was small and tucked in some corner, not enough to create an outcry or bring in supporters.
That's the saga of this lost paradise. The current status we hear is that no major construction has happened yet. But it is too late now. The mangroves have been dead for 3 years and cannot come back to life.Besides, a 3rd airport for the great urban city called Mumbai, is planned close-by and many are busy selling their land at a premium.
In the race to convert Mumbai from a mega metropolis to a mega, mega metropolis we have forgotten that this lost wetland will affect Mumbai itself. Mumbai being very close to the place will also be affected by the reclamation, and heavy floods in the recent past in Mumbai are an example. By trapping silt, mangroves maintain the integrity of Mumbai's shoreline. This is a vital service to the city of Mumbai as it is very prone to erosion, having been built on reclaimed land that is battered by the sea on all three sides. The rains in recent years in Mumbai and the disaster that followed, demonstrated the consequence of tampering with the ecology of fragile ecosystems like mangroves. Had Mumbai's Mithi river and Mahim creek mangroves not been destroyed by builders, fewer people would have died and the property damage would have been dramatically less.
If land-filling by various entities, which is going on for years, remains unchecked, not only will the ecology of the place be disturbed, but there is the danger of cyclones & other ecological disasters for Mumbai.
We all know that mangroves are now looked after by scientists as saviors in the today's scenario of global warming. Most of the coastal areas throughout the world are going to be affected by sea level rise due to global warming. Therefore, when most of the coastal areas will be flooded, mangroves can possibly provide a gene bank for cultivating salt tolerant species of crops which could be our future resource. Losing this wetland will also deny access to this important bird habitat to future generations of science students.
REST IN PEACE URAN..........
And we hope our feathered friends have been able to find another home, though it may never be as beautiful and secure as their Uran home was :'(
Uran wetlands were home to around 200 species, including migratory birds. Not less than an estimated 75 species would breed there. First breeding records of several bird species had been found at Uran eg the black breasted weaver birds, a species which was found breeding in the region after 52 yrs. Several of the IUCN Red Data status birds would regularly winter here. eg. the lesser flamingos, black tailed godwit, painted storks, oriental white ibis etc. It was a wintering area for many other bird species, including several Critically Endangered, Vulnerable and Near-threatened species. Many bird ringing studies have been conducted by senior ornithologists here. Uran was an important stopover for several passage migrant birds that came in from as far as Europe, Central Asia and the Arctic Tundra. This kind of a unique ecosystem does not exist anywhere for long distances & thus this was a crucial link in the life cycle of hundreds of migratory waders & other species of birds. Uran was also home to other endangered species like the monitor lizard.
(ref: 1.thesis by Ms. Kamini Thakur an MSc student, completed under the guidance of WWF India, 2. records of bird sightings from 2000 to 2009 put up on e-groups like ‘birdsofbombay’, 3. ‘The Mumbai Nature Guide’ by eminent Ornithologist Sunjoy Monga)
Other than birds, four species of mangrove associates were also found at Uran. Seven terrestrial plant species including the Gloriosa superba i.e. Glory lilly, which is an endangered plant species according to IUCN criteria were also observed. Many Science students from Mumbai have done their projects and nature study at Uran.
Thousands of birdwatchers used to frequent these areas. I was one among those thousands. Uran is approximately 60 km from Mumbai and over the years we had seen how the route to this wetland had seen a complete change of habitat and biodiversity. There was a time in 2002, when we would reach Uran not before 10 am because the route from Mumbai to Uran was full of multiple waterbodies, teeming with birds. Gradually, the route became a township and there was no sign of water-bodies or bird life. Every weekend for birders like us from Mumbai, was a time to look forward to. Any stress or work pressures during the week were surmountable when one thought of another visit to Uran at the upcoming weekend. Look at these pics and you will know what I mean.
 |
| The pheasant tailed jacana - breeding at Uran |
 |
| The chick of a black winged stilt with its mother |
 |
| The Baya weaver - collecting material for nesting |
 |
| WHo doesn't know these beauties - the flamingos |
 |
| Baya feeding itself |
 |
| A colony of spoonbills |
 |
| FLock of pied avocets |
 |
| The earliest of our winter migrants - the long tailed shrike |
 |
| Glossy ibis |
 |
| Grey heron |
 |
| Grey heron with fish in its beak |
 |
| Pond heron |
 |
| Purple heron |
 |
| Gulls |
Other than being an important biodiversity spot, many locals depended on it for their livelihood. Every member of the local village family, could easily earn about Rs. 5000 a month.
All was well till about Oct 2009. Then for some reasons we couldn't visit the place till Jan 2010. When we went back there in Jan 2010, we were numbed !!!! The lips had no words and the eyes were full of tears. How could someone do this? Why? How? When?.......questions, questions, questions....but no answers. Look what our paradise had been turned into
Under the projects of Navi Mumbai Special Economic Zone (NMSEZ) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust - Special Economic Zone (JNPT-SEZ) extensive reclamation of wetlands & killing of mangroves had taken place. Many areas demarcated for development of SEZs were fragile ecosystems & fall under CRZ I zone, meaning no development could be allowed there as per Indian laws. How did this happen then? Was it legal? Who gave the permissions? A wall had been constructed all along the edge of the sea coast, killing swathes of mangroves.
My friends Kalpana Malani and Kamini Thakur ( a young girl who had just completed her MSc thesis on Uran), thought we must do something and see if there is a possibility of recovery. Our expert friends from the wildlife fraternity were consulted and they said it still wasn't too late and if people came together, the wetlands will recover. The 3 of us pleaded for help but saw none forthcoming- though we were willing to lead. We decided to do whatever possible just with the 3 of us. At least let us not give up without fighting.
OUR CRUSADE TO SAVE URAN WETLANDS
Online petition
We first hosted an online petition to create awareness to save Uran wetlands on 20th March 2010 at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-uran-wetlands. This was signed by about 1150 people, including some eminent naturalists
Contacting govt departments, officials & JNPT as well as NM SEZ through couriers & emails: We then wrote to several people in the state & central govt as also the JNPT SEZ & NM SEZ authorities. We also wrote to the heads of political parties, the chief minister, prime minister, president, minister of environment and forests (who was known to be a defender of the green cause). Despite several emails nobody responded except the minister of environment. He asked us to send us the details so that he could pursue the matter. We were a little hopeful. We prepared extensive maps with the layout plan of the SEZs (we had managed to procure these somehow) and how brazenly the rules had been violated.
Meanwhile, we also filed RTIs and asked for the Complete Approved Master Plans with all annexures and supplementary reports, maps, graphs, phases of the project, approved project timelines and details. No reply. 2 months later we filed RTIs again. We got a reply saying the details were not available.
Meanwhile, the minister of environment promised to send someone for a field visit with us and gave us the contact details of the person. We chased the person for 2 months but the visit did not happen. Meanwhile we thought of explaining our stand to the authorities, to tell them that we are not against development and are not asking for SEZs to be scrapped, but just that some small areas indicated on maps be left alone. The areas we were referring to were a very small part of the entire SEZs and there was a possibility of reviving them as these pics show.
2 months later, an official did visit the place with us and said she will look into the matter and revert to us.
We meanwhile prepared a draft plan for revival and sent it to the govt, as that was the post-monsoon period and the best time to try and revive the mangroves. An expert on mangroves, who was our friend even offered his free service to the govt for his guidance & technical expertise for restoration of Uran. But that was the last we ever heard from the authorities. We tried for 6 more months then realized the only option and hope for us now is the legal route.
But we neither did we have a compassionate lawyer who would fight for us at no cost, nor the money to spend on a legal case. Not to forget, that like most of the Indian middle-class, we need to earn for ourselves and our families and couldn't give up our jobs to take up the cause of Uran, full-time. Nor could our employers afford to give us a sabbatical. That is the irony of most crusades in India. The powers-that-be are well aware that the common man has too many crusades in his own life to be able to fight illegal activities in the country at large. At every step, our friends in the media did help us by bringing up this issue in the newspapers, but they too lost out when it came to the issue of grabbing eyeballs. Most of the times the story was small and tucked in some corner, not enough to create an outcry or bring in supporters.
That's the saga of this lost paradise. The current status we hear is that no major construction has happened yet. But it is too late now. The mangroves have been dead for 3 years and cannot come back to life.Besides, a 3rd airport for the great urban city called Mumbai, is planned close-by and many are busy selling their land at a premium.
In the race to convert Mumbai from a mega metropolis to a mega, mega metropolis we have forgotten that this lost wetland will affect Mumbai itself. Mumbai being very close to the place will also be affected by the reclamation, and heavy floods in the recent past in Mumbai are an example. By trapping silt, mangroves maintain the integrity of Mumbai's shoreline. This is a vital service to the city of Mumbai as it is very prone to erosion, having been built on reclaimed land that is battered by the sea on all three sides. The rains in recent years in Mumbai and the disaster that followed, demonstrated the consequence of tampering with the ecology of fragile ecosystems like mangroves. Had Mumbai's Mithi river and Mahim creek mangroves not been destroyed by builders, fewer people would have died and the property damage would have been dramatically less.
If land-filling by various entities, which is going on for years, remains unchecked, not only will the ecology of the place be disturbed, but there is the danger of cyclones & other ecological disasters for Mumbai.
We all know that mangroves are now looked after by scientists as saviors in the today's scenario of global warming. Most of the coastal areas throughout the world are going to be affected by sea level rise due to global warming. Therefore, when most of the coastal areas will be flooded, mangroves can possibly provide a gene bank for cultivating salt tolerant species of crops which could be our future resource. Losing this wetland will also deny access to this important bird habitat to future generations of science students.
REST IN PEACE URAN..........
And we hope our feathered friends have been able to find another home, though it may never be as beautiful and secure as their Uran home was :'(
Very well documented. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhat a loss. Hope the birds recover from this. Now as a young student, I Want to explore the Uran wetlands, but I can't, as they have been long destroyed. ðŸ˜
ReplyDelete