Hindustan Times: Mumbai: Thursday, 11 May 2023.
Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plants operating on the lands earlier identified as quarry site by CIDCO in Turbhe have been found to be operating without any permission from CIDCO. The information was unearthed by Koparkhairne resident Mangesh Mhatre using the Right to Information Act (RTI). The finding has provided a whole new insight into the reason for air pollution in Koparkharine.
As per the RTI, at least six RMCs operating on land earlier used for quarrying by CIDCO have been operating without due permissions. The activist has demanded that both the NMMC and CIDCO should conduct a survey and take appropriate action. “NMMC chief has recently conducted a meeting to incorporate measures to ensure Navi Mumbai has good quality air, but on the ground, the scenario is completely different. How can cement mixing plants operate without any permission from authorities?” questioned Mhatre.
Concerned about the pollution caused by the plants on a daily basis, Mhatre had filed an RTI application on April 12 seeking information about the land reserved for quarrying under CIDCO, licenses issued for the setting up of RMC plant, and quarrying in these areas. “As per the response received from CIDCO, these lands were earlier reserved for quarrying purposes. However, it said no permissions were given to set up any RMC plant or any activities like stone crushing or mining on any of these lands,” he said.
Accordingly, the RTI, land survey no 387 in Turbhe, 163 in Pawane, 203 in Bonsari, 183 in Mauje Kukshet and 323 in Shirwane is informed to be reserved for mining and quarrying purposes. Mhatre personally visited these locations and has identified a total of six RMC plants operating fully fledgedly. “On all of the land surveys provided in the RTI, there are at least seven plants churning out cement mix on a daily basis and causing extensive air pollution in the area. The distance between Koparkhairane and these plants is merely a few kilometers. The farthest unit is approximately seven kms away and nearest one is at just two or three km distance,” adds Mhatre.
Koparkhairne residents have long been complaining about the poor air quality of the node. Residents has been regularly seeking authority’s attention to the health scare caused due to air pollution in the locality but to no avail.
“This node is extremely polluted, both with dust and chemicals. Infact we rarely keep the windows or doors open because of the poor weather conditions in the area. There have been multiple attempts by our associations to identify the root cause for the pollution,” said a resident of sector 11, Radha Anantanaryanan.
While CIDCO has said it is examining the matter and taking necessary action at the earliest, the owner of one of the manufacturing units in Bonsari has stated that it has all the necessary permissions to operate. “We are Project Affected Persons and have acquired this land from CIDCO and have acquired NOCs to operate the RMC plant. Our application for renewal of license is pending with the environment ministry,” said the owner of Bhumi RMC, Pandit Patil.
Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plants operating on the lands earlier identified as quarry site by CIDCO in Turbhe have been found to be operating without any permission from CIDCO. The information was unearthed by Koparkhairne resident Mangesh Mhatre using the Right to Information Act (RTI). The finding has provided a whole new insight into the reason for air pollution in Koparkharine.
As per the RTI, at least six RMCs operating on land earlier used for quarrying by CIDCO have been operating without due permissions. The activist has demanded that both the NMMC and CIDCO should conduct a survey and take appropriate action. “NMMC chief has recently conducted a meeting to incorporate measures to ensure Navi Mumbai has good quality air, but on the ground, the scenario is completely different. How can cement mixing plants operate without any permission from authorities?” questioned Mhatre.
Concerned about the pollution caused by the plants on a daily basis, Mhatre had filed an RTI application on April 12 seeking information about the land reserved for quarrying under CIDCO, licenses issued for the setting up of RMC plant, and quarrying in these areas. “As per the response received from CIDCO, these lands were earlier reserved for quarrying purposes. However, it said no permissions were given to set up any RMC plant or any activities like stone crushing or mining on any of these lands,” he said.
Accordingly, the RTI, land survey no 387 in Turbhe, 163 in Pawane, 203 in Bonsari, 183 in Mauje Kukshet and 323 in Shirwane is informed to be reserved for mining and quarrying purposes. Mhatre personally visited these locations and has identified a total of six RMC plants operating fully fledgedly. “On all of the land surveys provided in the RTI, there are at least seven plants churning out cement mix on a daily basis and causing extensive air pollution in the area. The distance between Koparkhairane and these plants is merely a few kilometers. The farthest unit is approximately seven kms away and nearest one is at just two or three km distance,” adds Mhatre.
Koparkhairne residents have long been complaining about the poor air quality of the node. Residents has been regularly seeking authority’s attention to the health scare caused due to air pollution in the locality but to no avail.
“This node is extremely polluted, both with dust and chemicals. Infact we rarely keep the windows or doors open because of the poor weather conditions in the area. There have been multiple attempts by our associations to identify the root cause for the pollution,” said a resident of sector 11, Radha Anantanaryanan.
While CIDCO has said it is examining the matter and taking necessary action at the earliest, the owner of one of the manufacturing units in Bonsari has stated that it has all the necessary permissions to operate. “We are Project Affected Persons and have acquired this land from CIDCO and have acquired NOCs to operate the RMC plant. Our application for renewal of license is pending with the environment ministry,” said the owner of Bhumi RMC, Pandit Patil.
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