Builders may once again run into trouble with environmentalists. This time over their suggestion of using two spots in Aarey for landfilling with the debris of construction work. CREDAI-MCHI has suggested 10 locations for debris dumping, of which two are in Aarey colony. Environmentalists say till date there has been no official landfilling or dumping of debris in Aarey and this is in a way enabling developers to get into Aarey. The suggestions were made by the developer body in the Supreme Court that finally got them the ban lifted on construction activity in Mumbai for six months.
According to a statement issued by the CREDAI – MCHI, last week, they have identified 10 new dumping sites, which were submitted in the Supreme Court. The spots include Ulwe Node, Vahal Node, JNPT SEZ, Pushpak Node (all Navi Mumbai), Aarey Picnic Point, Aarey Colony, Village Kalher, Bhiwandi, Village Bambavie, Raigadh, MIDC Land and Ambernath.
Environmentalists say the Picnic Spot in Aarey is around 10-acre land and doesn't require landfilling. Stalin Dayanad, of Vanshakti an NGO said, "There are many locations outside Mumbai, where landfilling can be done, for example, the mountains that have been quarried near Shilphata, but not Aarey, Aarey doesn't need landfilling done, this area has never had landfilling done officially."
The developers have suggested places out of Mumbai, however, two of their locations is in Mumbai and that too Aarey, which for quite some time has been a controversial site and dear to the environmentalists. Further landfilling by the construction debris may lead to another controversy. "We are planning how to tackle this situation too, we aren't going to reveal everything now," said Dayanand.
In February 2016, the Bombay High Court had asked BMC to not give any further fresh building permission till there is a solution for the dumping grounds in Deonar and Mulund. Developers body MCHI challenged it in the SC and finally got a six months relief, with conditions.
A detailed email sent to CREDAI-MCHI, for a comment got us no response.
