Mumbai: Navi Mumbai citizens have approached National Green Tribunal, western bench against rampant construction and sale of flats in Parsik Hill and the green belt at Navi Mumbai, which has allegedly damaged the hill slopes.
They submitted that the hills with a slope of 25 degrees could not be permitted to cut to further destruction of bio-diversity. The petition pleaded that by this yardstick, hills like Powai Hill, Chandivali Hill, Worli Hill, Antop Hill, Malabar Hill and Parsik Hill needs to be protected.
The petitioner K. Kumar from Conscious Citizens Forum submitted that the state government is carrying out illegal construction, which will involve tree cutting and it will disturb the forestland.
“The study conducted by the Maharashtra State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) is to the effect that stone crushing units were emitting particulate matter which is 100 times the safe limit. The area already has high level of air pollution. Quarrying along the hill is destroying the bio-diversity, forest and affecting the water bodies,” read the petition.
“The entire terrain of Parsik Hill near police commissioner office in Navi Mumbai is being subjected to cutting and destruction. Around 15,000 of the 53,000 meters has been destroyed,” said K. Kumar, president of Conscious Citizens Forum.
The NGT directed that a joint report in the matter from the urban development department, the land and revenue department and the principal chief conservator of forest, Maharashtra should be submitted within one month.
