Thane Feb 22 PTI At least 684 hectares of mangrove forest area under the City and Industrial Development Corporation CIDCO jurisdiction in Panvel taluka of Navi Mumbai has been handed over to the forest department an official said on Tuesday As per a release issued by the development authority CIDCO managing director and vice-chairman Dr Sanjay Mukherjee on Monday handed over the mangrove area to divisional forest officer M Adarsh Reddy of the mangrove conservation unit The CIDCO had in August 2021 handed over 28177 hectares of mangrove forests under its jurisdiction to the forest department in the first phase We are committed to the environment While planning Navi Mumbai the CIDCO had kept about 40 per cent area for green cover including gardens playgrounds and NDZ So far the CIDCO has handed over 2000 hectares of land in Thane and Raigad districts to the forest department making it the only government organisation and public sector undertaking to hand over such large pieces of mangrove lands Dr Mukherjee said Of the 28177 hectares of mangroves forests handed over in the first phase 134 hectares were located at Kamothe 38 hectares at Panvel and 109 hectares at Kolhe-Khar In the second phase the CIDCO handed over 684 hectares of mangrove forest area of which 2420 hectares are located at Ulwe 315 hectares at Wahal 3994 hectares at Waghiwali and 075 hectares at Sonkhar The CIDCO has also planted mangroves in over 370 hectares of land with the help of the mangrove cell which is functional PTI COR ARU ARU