The birders, bird photographers as well as fisherfolks have been barred from entering the Panje-Dongari wetlands (that falls under CRZ1). 

A displaying board put up last week has given stern instruction that the land is leased by CIDCO to Navi Mumbai IIA or Navi Mumbai Integrated Industrial Area Pvt. Ltd, hence entry to the land was prohibited. 

Since the migratory bird season is on and the wetland is full of flamingos as well as waders and other migratory birds, the bird watchers and bird photographers are attempting to venture the wetland. 

“We were threatened of police action,” a bird watcher said.

Parmanand Koli, ex sarpanch, Hanuman Koliwada Uran shared that the fisherfolks are in distress, since they have lost a great opportunity.

Environment activist Nandakumar Pawar condemned the action. “The Panje -Dongari (289 hectares) wetlands have been taken over by Reliance from CIDCO for development of NMIIA. Currently, the wetland is under physical control of the corporate giant and it is not allowing anyone inside the wetlands,” he said.  

Nanda Kumar Pawar, head of Sagar Shakti and president of Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fish workers Union has filed a petition in January 2025.

“I have filed fresh petition with Bombay High Court with regards to Panje wetlands. The security guards are in place from 2018. Presently, the number of staffs have increased and they are in plain dresses to avoid unwanted issues.”

“CIDCO has no right to do this since, Panje has been declared as intertidal wetland which was CRZ 1 status area as per Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority ( Mczma) in 2018.”