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Activist files petition against allotment of land with 200 trees to PAPs | Mumbai news

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Nov 27, 2024 10:29 PM IST

Environmentalists are up in arms against the allotment of a plot of land, that has over 200 trees, by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) for construction of a boarding and lodging facility for Project Affected person (PAPs)

NAVI MUMBAI: Environmentalists are up in arms against the allotment of a plot of land, that has over 200 trees, by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) for construction of a boarding and lodging facility for Project Affected person (PAPs). To prevent MIDC from going ahead with its plan, a petition was filed with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday.

Activist files petition against allotment of land with 200 trees to PAPs
Activist files petition against allotment of land with 200 trees to PAPs

Activists came to know through the Right to Information (RTI) act that a part of the land OS-7, measuring over 3,600 sq m, in Pawane village was allotted by MIDC for the construction of the facility for PAPs. Alarmed by this move, they pointed out that this would sound the death knell for the 200 odd trees on the land.

“This dense green patch plays a crucial role in absorbing the pollution emitted from nearby chemical factories. A few months back, we noticed some digging and land marking work on a part of the land, which led to the filing of an RTI,” said the petitioner, activist BN Kumar.

The information that was passed on to the activists was disturbing. “The land was leased in the year 2000 to a private company for plantation, for a period of 10 years. However, even before the tenure was over, MIDC reversed its decision and allotted the land to PAPs. The change was officially informed to the company in February 2024,” said Kumar.

A petition seeking to maintain the status quo of the open space was filed on Tuesday. “Tree plantation on the open space has been going on for two decades and the patch has now become a green belt. MIDC’s arbitrary decision to reverse the allotment cannot be allowed as 200 odd full grown trees’ lives are at stake,” Kumar said.

The 83-page petition points out the role the green belt plays in addressing the poor air quality index of the city. It also points out that MIDC’s Comprehensive Development Control and Promotion Regulations (CDCPR) stipulate that only structures meant for common use such as gym, yoga pavilion, kindergarten, library, and civic amenities such as water tanks and electric substations may be permitted in open spaces. Hence, commercial structures are clearly prohibited.

Repeated calls to MIDC officials went unanswered.

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