Greens cry foul over concrete plant in Parsik Hills quarry area

Terming it as a very serious issue, Kumar questioned the forest department as to how the activity could be allowed. He has also complained to the chief minister to look into the construction of a pucca concrete structure and order a survey of all the quarry sites to check if there are any more violations

NAVI MUMBAI The construction of a ready-mix concrete plant at a quarry site in the Parsik Hills has raised many eyebrows since such work is not permissible in forest areas.

Navi Mumbai, India - Dec. 23, 2022:Concrete plant in Parsik Hill quarry area, greens cry foul at Nerul in Navi Mumbai, India, on Friday, December 23, 2022. (Photo by / HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)

The forest department has handed over 138 hectares in Parsik Hill to CIDCO for quarrying and resettling project-affected people for the land taken over 50 years ago for development of Navi Mumbai. Quarrying had been stopped five years following a ruling by the National Green Tribunal stipulating environmental clearance for digging the hills.

While the machines at 102 quarries have fallen silent, work on an RMC plant at M G Nagar quarry site has caught the attention of environmentalists, said B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation.

Terming it as a very serious issue, Kumar questioned the forest department as to how the activity could be allowed. He has also complained to the chief minister to look into the construction of a pucca concrete structure and order a survey of all the quarry sites to check if there are any more violations.

However, workers at the site said stones and cement were brought from outside and mixed here.

“This is utter nonsense,” said Nandakumar Pawar, head of Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishtan, who along with NatConnect, had launched the ‘Save Parsik Hills’ campaign against the quarries polluting the city. Forest department’s order, while allowing the quarries, was very clear that no other activity should be permitted, he said.

Kumar and Pawar have expressed shock that the activities are taking place in broad daylight and has so far gone unnoticed by the authorities.

Vishnu Joshi of Parsik Greens forum said that the hills have become weak due to the continuous blasting and the ecology and biodiversity of the belt have suffered a big loss.

Whoever is permitting the RMC and other activities are playing with nature, Joshi said.

Environmentalists also wondered if the RMC plant is a precursor to the resumption of quarries which has been opposed tooth and nail by many, including Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) which had in fact filed an affidavit to this effect at the NGT five years ago.

When contacted, a senior forest official said the area is under CIDCO control. It has been given to CIDCO for a limited purpose of quarrying.

“Forest teams will check if there are any violations and we shall take it up with CIDCO”, the official said requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, NatConnect has taken up the issue with the union ministry of environment, forest and climate change seeking intervention.

CIDCO public relations officer Priya Ratambe, when contacted, said, “We need to examine the issue.”