Navi Mumbai: In what could be termed as shot-in-the-arm for environmentalists and victory for the concerned citizens in Navi Mumbai, the Maharashtra Government has directed the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to demolish 30 illegal religious structures on the landslide-prone Belapur and Parsik Hills which occupied a whopping 2.3 lakh square feet of area. While 29 structures are on Belapur Hills, one is situated on the Parsik Hills.
Demolition halts
The State Chief Secretary has filed an affidavit to this effect at the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) which has taken suo motu notice of the media reports that spoke about possible dangers to the lives and properties due to landslides.
The Commission, at its third hearing on Monday, closed the suo motu case taking into consideration the solemn affidavit on oath submitted by Subrao Narayan Shinde, joint secretary in the Urban Development Department (UDD), on behalf of the Chief Secretary.
Shinde said the Home department, on UDD’s request, has also directed the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner to provide adequate protection for the demolition.
Illegal temple on Belapur Hill
Environment watchdog NatConnect Foundation, which launched an awareness campaign and filed three affidavits at the Commission, pointed out that the soil on the hills is loose and hence the hills are landslide prone. NatConnect director B N Kumar apprehended Wayanad or Irshalwadi type disaster as hundreds of people congregate at these religious structures some of which are built on the hill slopes.
Some of the structures occupying over 20,000 sq ft to 40,000 sq ft of land have built halls to accommodate up to 2,000 people which is highly risky, he argued.
“The festival season has begun, and devotees are bound to visit the temples and we fear that their lives will be at stake,” Kumar pointed out to the Commission during its hearing on Monday. Moreover, there are over 600 houses just below the Belapur hill, he said. The issue has been hanging fire for close to 10 years since the first complaint filed by Kalpataru Cooperative Housing Society to the CIDCO.
The Commission asked the CIDCO to initiate action as per the Supreme Court ruling on illegal religious structures. The Commission comprising Justice K K Tated and member M A Sayeed, also said that NatConnect is free to get back to the rights body in case of violations in future.
When CIDCO counsel tried to raise a point, Justice Tated said the entire case arose due to inaction by CIDCO. “What is there for you to say now,” he asked and directed both CIDCO and NMMC to comply with the government’s directive.
When Kumar pointed out that CIDCO started the demolition by razing a compound wall and stairs of a religious structure but stopped due to the fear of landslides, the Commission said CIDCO must now take all precautions now.
CIDCO’s Controller of Unauthorised Constructions drove up two JCB machines but looking at the heavy downpour, the work was halted, an official said. Weather permitting, the action will be resumed with the help of the police, an official confirmed to NatConnect.
The Commission also dismissed intervention applications by Durgamata Charitable Trust built on 1,200 sq feet and Damdani Taksal Ruhani Vidyaprasar Trust occupying 250 square feet, pleading for protection since their applications for regularisation were pending. CIDCO had served demolition notices on these bodies as well, along with other trust structures.
