Mumbai: Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) engineers allegedly questioned the expertise of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in disallowing ‘retaining walls’ and abutment on Nasardi river terming this ‘vague’.
NMC’s stand was mentioned in its affidavit submitted to the Bombay high court on Friday in an ongoing PIL. NEERI had been appointed as an expert agency by the HC and is a respected world-class organisation.
The NMC is constructing a wall in the river, which NEERI recommendations have strictly prohibited. Petitioner Rajesh Pandit stated that on April 25, he had mailed NEERI and sought its opinion about the construction in the riverbed’s blue line/red line — the red line level marks the highest flood level once in 100 years while the blue line marks the highest flood level once in 25 years. The next hearing in the case is on July 6.
NEERI officials stated that they had visited Nandini river where the retaining cement wall is being constructed.
“NEERI has strictly recommended that new cement embankments should not be built on any river. Instead, it is recommended that the river bank be protected through the construction of gabion walls, natural vegetation and with other eco-engineering ways involving use of permeable construction material,” stated a mail by NEERI, which has been given to the HC.
“Interestingly, NMC had accepted NEERI’s suggestions when it wanted the funds for Simhasth Kumbha Mela and now it finds them vague,” stated petitioner Rajesh Pandit.
