‘BJP MLA’s firm to face action for hill cutting in SGNP’s ESZ’

The committee, during a meeting earlier this week, discussed the matter and decided to initiate action against Mehta’s firm, Seven Eleven Construction Pvt Ltd.

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park’s (SGNP) eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) committee has deemed the hill-cutting work near Versave village by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Narendra Mehta’s firm, as illegal.

HT had reported that during a site visit, range forest officer DC Deshmukh found that a 300mx7.3m hilly area had been destroyed through blasting and cutting to make way for a road inside the ESZ of SGNP. (HTPhoto)

The committee, during a meeting earlier this week, discussed the matter and decided to initiate action against Mehta’s firm, Seven Eleven Construction Pvt Ltd.

“Concerned municipal corporations were asked whether they received any proposal for construction activities carried out inside SGNP. They said they were unaware of any such proposal. We are also not aware of any other department that was informed about the work,” said Jitendra Ramgaonkar, member secretary of committee and deputy conservator of forest, Thane.

“It was decided that based on a report submitted by the visiting officer of the forest department, action needs to be taken by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board [MPCB] for violations under the Environment Protection Act, 1986,” said Ramgaonkar.

On April 27, HT had reported that during a site visit, range forest officer DC Deshmukh found that a 300mx7.3m hilly area had been destroyed through blasting and cutting to make way for a road inside the ESZ of SGNP.

Mehta, the former mayor of Mira-Bhayander, said he plans to develop the area as a residential zone with recreational facilities, but confirmed that he had not submitted a formal proposal to any state agency yet. “No construction was carried out at the site so there is no question of corrective action,” he said. “A detailed proposal will be sent which will generate employment for at least 800 people.”

The complainant in the matter, Dhiraj Parab, an environmentalist from Mira Bhayander, said the state was purposely delaying action against the MLA. “Several trees were uprooted, and there is a threat to wildlife.”