Debris dumping menace at Kharghar award venue
More than 150-acre wide Corporate Park in Kharghar’s Sector 34, which was cleared of debris and encroachments before it was used to host the Maharashtra Bhushan awards ceremony, has returned to its original state with heavy dumping of debris and encroachments, say residents
The larger than 150-acre Corporate Park in Kharghar’s Sector 34, which was cleared of debris and encroachments before it was used to host the Maharashtra Bhushan awards ceremony, has returned to its original state with heavy dumping of debris and encroachments slowly taking over the area, say residents.
Residents from adjacent high-rise buildings have shot multiple videos of continuous movement of debris-laden vehicles within the plot.
“Kharghar has become a hub for debris dumping mafia. Every vacant plot in the node is being dumped with debris and there is not a thing done by the planning authority, City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) nor from Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC). Prior to the visit of the Home Minister Amit Shah for the Maharashtra Bhushan awards ceremony on April 16, there was massive cleaning up done here, but in matter of just a month to the event, the situation is back to square one,” said a resident from the area.
After the ceremony, the residents were looking to use the ground for recreational activities but the illegal activities in the area have left them fuming with anger. What has shocked them is the brazenness with which the activities are carried out without any action from the civic agencies. Illegal shops and eatery stalls have come up making the area unsafe for residents
“My flat faces the park side and every day I can see the number of vehicles dumping debris has increased drastically. These debris are now towering at over 8 ft height, which is more than an average person’s height. In fact, on numerous occasions, I have seen these trucks being guided by a person to the exact spot where the debris is to be dumped,” said another resident Divya Abroal.
The activities have now extended even towards the approach road to the park. “The residential societies were excited post the cleaning of the plot and considered it ideal for walking and maybe even having some recreational activities for children. But, with the presence of the illegal settlements, even approaching the area has become questionable,” adds Abroal.
Similar issues have cropped up in sector 35D of the node. Complaints have been filed with CIDCO regarding the blatant misuse of vacant plot no 56 in the sector. “We are facing major harassment due to illegal settlement and debris dumping within a vacant plot situated within the residential area. Daily there are fights between the occupants of the illegal shanties as well as the plot has become an ideal spot for unauthorized stone crushing operations. We have to deal with continuous sound pollution as well,” said a member from Krishna Majesty Cooperative housing society. The member was subjected to threats from the shanty dwellers for raising complaints with CIDCO.
Residents say that CIDCO ought to work out an action plan to stop the menace. “In the month of March there was a drive to remove these shanties, but the effort was wasted as in a matter of few hours the illegal activities resumed. The shanties are operating as an ideal shield to the illegal stone crushing activity,” adds the member.
When contacted the CIDCO chief PRO Priya Ratambe said that she will inform the concerned authorities