State revenue officials stop excavation work at Kharghar hill, seal vehicles
The State revenue officials, on Thursday, stopped the excavation work after greens complained against cutting of a hill in Kharghar; they have also sealed excavators, bulldozers and dumper trucks
The State revenue officials, on Thursday, stopped the excavation and sealed five vehicles after greens complained against cutting of a hill in Kharghar. The State Revenue department has sealed excavators, bulldozers and dumper trucks.
The excavation was carried out by a private contractor engaged by CIDCO for taking soil for landfilling for Kharghar Golf Course, revenue officials said. The contractor at the site did not have any document to show the legality of the work, the officials said.
Raising serious concerns over quarrying, environmental groups had contacted the Chief Minister’s office and revenue officials, requesting to look into the matter and immediately halt it.
Even as CIDCO officials claimed that they do not need any permissions, revenue officials said that the jurisdiction of the hill is not clear. “In this case, the contractor had not paid royalty to the state government and hence five dumpers and two JCBs were sealed,” Santosh Kachare, revenue officer from Kharghar circle, said.
A CIDCO officer said, “The hill belongs to CIDCO.”
BN Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, who had raised the red flag, said, “We are happy that SDO Rahul Mundake swung into action and sent his team following our alert”.
