It’s a pity that there are no takers for the apartments built by the state government in Mahul to rehabilitate project-affected persons (PAPs) of various infrastructure projects in the city. Slum dwellers along the Tansa pipeline in Ghatkopar have refused to move into these tenements complaining that the area is highly polluted.
The BMC had sent a notice to the residents of Bhimnagar and Ambedkar Nagar in the Rajawadi pipeline area of Ghatkopar on June 29 asking them to be ready to shift to the PAP tenements by July 3. The residents have alleged that they were not even taken into confidence while taking the decision. They staged a protest and took out a morcha to the N ward office on Wednesday. Now, they have decided not bow to the civic body’s pressure. In fact, they want BMC to withdraw the decision.
On Wednesday, representing the residents, Prakash Mehta submitted a memorandum to the BMC. Assistant commissioner Vijay Kamble assured the representation that he would take up the matter with higher ups.
On Tuesday, Pravin Chheda, Congress corporator from the area, met the deputy municipal commissioner and expressed his anguish over the haphazard manner in which the locals have been given a ‘raw deal’. “I have demanded that the PAPs should be rehabilitated in the same area. If the tenements are not available in that area they should be rehabilitated in nearby areas so as not to affect their lives.”
“That area is highly polluted. Even the BMC’s environment status report suggests that it has the highest level of pollution,” said Amit Kharat, member of Bhimnagar Rahivashi Sangh.
“There is nothing but pollution and chronic ailments in store for us in Mhaul. We will not go there to die. Rather, we will start a fast unto death and die here in this area where we have lived for years,” said Kharat.
Unhealthy
Mahul, Marawali, Chembur and its adjoining areas are rated as the most polluted suburbs in Mumbai by the Environment Status Report - 2012 compiled by the BMC. Civic administration will come out with the report this month. One of the six air-monitoring stations set up by the BMC has shown a drastic increase in the level of pollutants in the area. The area has many industries, petroleum refineries (BPCL, HPCL and IOC), fertiliser unit (RCF), and power generation units (Tata Power) apart from BMC’s biggest dumping ground, Deonar.
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