‘Debris dumping not stopped at Ulwe despite complaints’

Navi Mumbai: Despite complains of debris dumping in Ulwe sector 22 being checked by authorities exactly a month after activist Sunil Agarwal filed it, the dumping has restarted. Dumping was reported in the same area in May 2023,
The Navi Mumbai International Airport is connected with the Atal Setu via a coastal road in the Ulwe node. The locals are not clear whether the dumping is done for the road work or for some other purpose.However, the massive dumping and levelling work is done during the day time. The area has dense mangroves. Over the last two years the debris dumping has resulted in killing of a large number of mangroves and reclamation of over acres of coastal regulatory zone land.
It can be noted that in May last year, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board sub-regional officer (Raigad-I), VV Killedar had written to the superintending engineer-Ulwe node of the Cidco mentioning the dumping in various sectors – 2, 5, 6, 20, 21, 22 and 23. The letter also mentions that Sector 22 falls under the CRZ area.
Referring to the complaint filed by Sunil Agarwal, the board has asked Cidco to take appropriate action against those dumping debris in the area to prevent any damage to the mangroves. Local resident Dr Amar Satpute alleged, “The dumping of debris and ongoing work is never monitored by any agency. Even if the coastal road work is underway there is no need to have massive dumping on a large scale beyond the limits of the road size.”
Activist Sunil Agarwal complained, “It is most shocking that the dumping continues in Ulwe even after inspection was done by mangroves grievance redressal committee on Friday (April 26). Is this committee reduced to a joke on poor citizens? Neither debris removed nor dumping stopped even a year after our complaint. Debris dumping is done by using trucks and excavators.”