The HC verdict was given in a 2021 petition by a society of fisherfolk from koliwadas
The verdict was given in a 2021 petition by a society of fisherfolk from koliwadas such as Vashigaon, Juhugaon, Koparkhairane, Ghansoli and Diva. In Feb 2022, HC directed MSRDC to deposit Rs 10 crore towards ad hoc interim compensation for 937 families. TISS proposed Rs 141 crore compensation — Rs 94 crore for direct losses for three years and Rs 47 crore for livelihood security for six years. They noted that construction of the 18.2-km Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), and even of Coastal Road, involved reclamation and permanent alteration of near-shore fishing access. TCB-III, by contrast, is a 1.83-km pier-supported bridge addition “with no reclamation, no coastline alteration and continued fishing during construction.
The judges said TISS “travelled beyond its mandate” for determining compensation and also included livelihood security/support compensation without assessing impact on the livelihood. They were “surprised” TISS recommended Rs 141 crore compensation “disproportionate” to the Rs 500 crore construction cost. They added that TISS “imported MTHL parameters into TCB-III.”
Mumbai: Bombay High Court has set up a task force to determine compensation payable to fisherfolk families affected by construction of Thane Creek Bridge (TCB)-III. After the MSRDC-appointed Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute’s report did not quantify loss and consequent compensation, HC appointed TISS.