Mumbai: Mahul residents on Tuesday demonstrated outside Sena Bhavan and urged the government to immediately implement the high court order that sought the rehabilitation of the residents affected by air pollution. The order was, however, challenged by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Residents highlighted that no action has been taken on the matter despite the Bombay high court directing the state government and the BMC to give alternate accommodation to families staying there within 12 weeks. Several project-affected persons have been rehabilitated in Mahul, which is surrounded by chemical factories and refineries.
“Earlier Aaditya Thackeray too had claimed that Mahul is not livable and that the families should be shifted from there. We have been waiting since last two months, however not a single family has been relocated despite the high court order. We have come here to urge the new government to expedite the process,” said Bilal Khan, an activist working towards rehabilitation of residents in Mahul.
Earlier in June this year, Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray had termed Mahul as unsafe and said that even providing amenities cannot help residents there.
“We are still waiting for the implementation. Around 3,500 families have already applied for rehabilitation and compensation,” said Arun Ajest, a resident of Mahul.
Meanwhile, the BMC informed the apex court that the compensation would cost the civic body a whooping '100 crore. “We would be consulting with the new government and take action accordingly,” said a BMC official.
