Maharashtra Environment Dept Confirms Lotus Lake In Nerul As Wetland, Contradicting CIDCO

In a setback to CIDCO’s stand, the Maharashtra Environment Department has confirmed that the controversial Lotus Lake at Nerul is a wetland, according to a response to an RTI query filed by NatConnect Foundation.

RTI Response Confirms Wetland Status

The department stated that a ground-truthing exercise of Lotus Lake has been completed by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) as part of the process to notify wetlands across the state. The information, uploaded on the RTI portal on August 26, referred to Lotus Lake as a “wetland.”

CIDCO’s Stand Challenged

“This contradicts CIDCO’s position that Lotus Lake is a man-made waterbody. CIDCO had claimed it had once allotted the site to Indian Airlines and argued it could not be classified as a wetland,” said NatConnect Foundation Director BN Kumar.

Final Documentation Underway

The Environment Department clarified that “brief documentation” of the lake and other water bodies is under progress, and the final NCSCM report will be submitted to the District Wetland Committee. The RTI response was signed by Nilesh Potedar, Public Information Officer and Scientist-2.

Green Activists Raise Alarm

Kumar, who filed the RTI, said the confirmation assumes importance as CIDCO has been resisting the wetland tag despite repeated complaints from green activists. He pointed out that CIDCO had even landfilled parts of the lake with debris from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) site.

Union Ministry’s Intervention

Following complaints, the Union Environment Ministry (MOEFCC) sought a report from the state government. The Environment Department, in turn, asked CIDCO and the Thane district collector for status updates.

Defiance Despite Minister’s Directive

Despite directives from State Forest Minister Ganesh Naik on June 26 to clear the landfill within a week, CIDCO has not complied, activists alleged.

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Wetland Definition as per Ramsar Convention

Kumar recalled that MOEFCC had earlier stated CIDCO is not the competent authority to determine the status of wetlands. As per the Ramsar Convention, wetlands include natural or artificial water bodies—permanent or temporary—where water is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, up to a depth of six metres at low tide.

Call for Expedited Notification

Environmentalists have urged the government to expedite the notification of Lotus Lake as a wetland to prevent further encroachment.