The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has deferred clearance for the Rs 582 crore residential cum commercial building project of the Kerala state housing board (KSHB) at the Marine drive in Kochi. The project has been proposed in the default Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the Mangalavanam bird sanctuary.

In the latest meeting of the standing committee of the NBWL, it was decided that a comprehensive review meeting may be held at the level of the Secretary, EF&CC (Environment, Forests and Climate Change), the State Forest Department and the department concerned of the State Government. As per the minutes of the meeting, the Chief Wild Life Warden (CWW), Kerala, mentioned that the total area of the sanctuary is only 2.75 hectares and is situated in a well-developed part of the city.

"Given these constraints, mitigation measures have been proposed to minimise the impact of urbanisation, awareness creation, etc. On this side of the Sanctuary, the extent of ESZ is zero," the CWW said.

The Director of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) provided an example from Mumbai, where Sanjay Gandhi National Park faces similar challenges. In some areas surrounding the park, ESZ boundaries have been reduced to 100m, according to the minutes. 

The total built-up area of the project is 77,804 sq.m. It will have 28 floors + GF + LGF and 176 flats in a single tower. Residential area has been proposed for 35,118 sq.m. The total plot area is 12,809 sq.m. Of the 176 units proposed, there will be 88 3bhk units and 88 4bhk units. 

According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR), there is no buffer in the North, West, North West and South West directions from the bird sanctuary, going by the revised ESZ. The project site is located in the North and northwest direction of the bird sanctuary, and there is no ESZ area falling within the site, according to the DPR. 

In October 2024, the state board for wildlife recommended the proposal, and the CWW imposed two conditions: the project proponent shall create sufficient greenery after the completion of the project, and the working hours shall be limited between sunrise and sunset.