Koli Community moves Bombay High Court seeking compensation for losses due to Atal Setu

A petition has been filed before the Bombay High Court seeking compensation for the Koli fishing community, which allegedly suffered significant losses due to the construction and operation of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Atal Setu. .The 21.8 km bridge designed to connect Mumbai with Navi Mumbai has reportedly disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen who depend on the Thane Creek for their income.The petitioner, Mari Aai Machimar Sahkari Sanstha Maryadit, a society representing 1,210 members of the Koli community from seven traditional fishing villages (Koliwadas) in Navi Mumbai, claims that the construction of the Atal Setu has resulted in a dramatic reduction in fish stock within the creek. The affected villages include Vashigaon, Juhugaon, Koparkhairane, Ghansoli, Gothivali, Diva, and Belapur.The society has argued that the community’s traditional fishing activities have been severely impacted..According to the petition, filed through advocate Zaman Ali, the MTHL project has led to a steep decline in fish production with a reported 60% reduction in fish stock since construction began in 2018. This significant loss has directly affected the income and livelihood of the Koli community, a Scheduled Tribe in Maharashtra with a historical connection to fishing in the Thane Creek. Despite these well-documented impacts, the community has been excluded from compensation schemes designed to mitigate the adverse effects of the project..The petition highlights a series of surveys conducted by the Fisheries Department to assess the impact of the MTHL on the local fishing villages. In February 2021, a third survey was conducted focusing on ten villages where the petitioners reside. The survey report indicated a severe decline in fish production, with the 2018-19 fishing season recording only 46% of the production levels seen in 2017-18. The report further detailed that by the 2019-20 season, fish production had dropped by 60% compared to 2017-18 levels, and the number of mechanical fishing boats going out for fishing tours had significantly decreased..The report concluded with alarming figures, showing a 59.34% reduction in fish production and a 54.25% decline in income for the fishing community during the 2020-21 period compared to 2015-16. These statistics underscore the devastating impact of the MTHL project on the Koli community, which now faces severe economic instability and a threat to its traditional way of life..The petitioners argue that while some fishermen living within a 5-kilometer radius of the project have been included in compensation policies, those residing 10-15 kilometers away, including the petitioners, have been unjustly excluded. The petition calls for the Bombay High Court to direct the relevant authorities, including the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Department of Fisheries, and the Revenue & Forest Department, to provide adequate compensation to the affected fisher folk..The matter is scheduled to be heard on August 28 by a bench of Justice BP Colabawalla and Justice Firdosh Pooniwalla..The completion of the Atal Setu in January 2024, a six-lane expressway was intended to ease traffic between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.