Koyna Dam-hit people go sans water as Kharghar Hills plundered

PANVEL A group of villagers, displaced by the Koyna Dam project four decades ago and resettled at Owe camp village Kharghar Hills, are struggling for drinking water now, thanks to the indiscriminate quarrying, environmentalists say

PANVEL A group of villagers, displaced by the Koyna Dam project four decades ago and resettled at Owe camp village Kharghar Hills, are struggling for drinking water now, thanks to the indiscriminate quarrying, environmentalists say.

A boy carries a load on the parched river bed of Krishna river.The river bed remains dry as the water released from Koyna Dam does not reach here (UDAY DEOLEKAR)

The quarrying has diminished the Kharghar Hills capacity to absorb and hold rainwater, said activist Jyoti Nadkarni of Kharghar Hills & Wetlands group addressing an International Mountain Day event. “As a result, the water bodies and wells have gone dry and the Koyna-displaced people are forced to run helter-skelter for water,” she added.

There are about 500 homes at Owe camp and they get erratic pipe water supply once in two days, courtesy CIDCO. The pipeline has also rotted and the Kharghar-Taloja Colonies Welfare Association (KTCWA) has taken up the cudgels on behalf of the Owe camp residents.

Observing the UN-sponsored International Mountain Day, environment lovers have launched a campaign to save Kharghar Hills from being destroyed by official neglect and public apathy.

There is a general perception among powers that be that the environmentalists are against development, he pointed out and said nobody opposes socio-economic development. But at the same time this should not lead to environmental destruction which is being ignored under the guise of development.

“We destroy our hills and green cover and then are forced to purchase oxygen as was proved during the COVID period,” said Mangesh Ranawade, president of Kharghar-Taloja Colonies Welfare Association. Destroying trees, the natural oxygen plants, is not a wise act for the so-called progress, he said.

Nandakumar Pawar, head of Shri Ekvira Aai Pratishtan, said public opinion generated through the media support can definitely lead to good results to protect the environment. A case in point is the halt to the reckless quarrying of Parsik Hills, thanks to the public outcry, he said.

Said Panvel Deputy Municipal Commissioner Ganesh Shetye, “The civic body is committed to save the biodiversity of the area for which the lakes are being cleaned and maintained, massive tree plantation planned.”

Forest officer Ashok Ghuge said, “While our department is doing what it can, public participation in saving the trees and increasing green cover on the hills is a must.”

Adventure sports platform Anubhuti Endeavours hosted a trek on the Kharghar Hills and mountaineering and education experts Nisarg Mitra and Trek Climb Slack Rescue - provided the technical support for the festival.

A BNHS research shows that as many 480 plant species thrive on the Hill, apart from the presence of 10 endangered and rare plant species. Researchers found 295 insect species, 15 other invertebrates, 12 fishes, 9 amphibians, 28 reptiles, 179 birds and 12 mammals’ species.

Now, all this will be under threat with CIDCO’s plan to develop a Kharghar Hill Plateau township, Kumar pointed out.

NatConnect has already requested the union ministry of environment, forest and climate control not to grant clearance for the township before environmental impact assessment is done. “On the contrary, CIDCO should revive the Kharghar Hill Nature Park and abandon the plan to create a concrete jungle on the hills,” Kumar said.