Residents of Thane-based Havere City Township filed a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court on Tuesday demanding the relocation of the ready-mix concrete plant, casting yard and staff shelters set up for the Thane to Borivali twin subway tunnel project passing under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. It has been claimed in the petition that there is a lot of air pollution in the area due to these three and the court has also taken serious notice of the petition. Also, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) have been ordered to clarify their position on the petition.
Nine people including environmentalists Rohit Joshi and Prashant Mahadik have filed this public interest litigation through lawyer Ronita Bhattacharya. The petitioners also told a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Amit Borkar that the RMC plant, casting yard and staff shelters are located within the township where they live. Besides, the court was told by the petitioners that this area also falls within the Sanjay Gandhi National Park area. Taking cognizance of it, the court passed the above order.
Meanwhile, MMRDA has signed an agreement with Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited for the project and the company has provided these facilities. However, these facilities have been made available on the land reserved for residential and recreational use in the Thane Development Plan. Commencement of the RMC plant started in March 2024. Subsequently, his work led to massive air pollution in the area and its adverse effects were seen in the area. Earlier, in February 2024, the land adjacent to their township was leveled for facilities and the thick green cover with large trees was illegally cut without necessary permission, the petition also alleged.
The MPCB had issued a circular on October 8, 2024 clarifying the reclassification of RMC plants under the category of medium hazardous industries. Therefore, the RMC was required to take fresh permission. Despite this, the petitioners stated that the RMC plant was started on the basis of permission obtained before reclassification i.e. on 17th May, 2024. Similarly, as per information received under RTI on 18 October 2024, the RMC plant is part of the ecologically sensitive area of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The letter of Thane Municipal Corporation dated 5th July 2024 confirming this has also been attached by the petitioners with the petition. In the letter of the Municipal Corporation, it has been mentioned that there is a natural flow at this place and it is necessary to obtain a no objection certificate from the Drainage Department for the work at that place.
Otherwise revoke permission for these facilities
If the RMC plant, casting yard and staff shelter remain at the present site, there will be more serious health impacts for the residents of the area. Also, the environment in the national park will also be threatened. Therefore, permission granted to the company for the RMC plant, casting yard and staff shelter should be cancelled. Also, the petitioners have demanded that the MPCB be restrained from granting further approvals for these facilities. Besides, the petitioners have also sought an order to shift these facilities to an alternative location closer to the Havre City Township.
Share
Tweet
