State directs collectors, civic chiefs to protect hills

Mumbai: The state government has issued directions to all collectors and municipal commissioners across the state, instructing that no illegal construction should be allowed on hilltops and hill slopes whereas no construction should be done within 100 feet on the incline of the lowest slope, as per a May 2015 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order. The government has also asked all the authorities to conduct a survey of constructions on the hills.

The revenue and urban development departments issued directions after the NGT had pulled up the government for non-compliance of its order. The NGT had issued this order on May 19, 2015. The demand was to protect hilltops and hill slopes, to create an eco-sensitive buffer zone of 100 feet from the lowest slope and to ban illegal construction on hills. However, since the government had done nothing about it in the last two and a half years, the NGT recently directed it to take steps within 4 weeks. As a result of which, these directions have been issues, said sources from the revenue department.

Thousands of illegally constructed structures can be seen in Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Navi Mumbai, where hills have been cut to create them.

These structures are affecting the eco-system of these hills and it is the need of the hour to make buffer zones near their lowest slope to protect it. So, now the state  has asked all collectors, municipal commissioners to protect the buffer zone, take action against illegal constructions and conduct a survey on hilltops and hill slopes, the officials said.