Programme: Special Correspondent
Telecast: 9:30pm, Saturday
Repeat Telecast: 12.30 pm, Sunday
Report By: Jency Jacob
Pictures: Shruti Sharma

Navi Mumbai, a city developed on the outskirts of Mumbai, has often been touted as the next new metro centre. Developed by City and Industrial Development Corporation it aimed to ease the burden on a Mumbai bursting at its seams with spiralling population. CIDCO was given the mandate to develop this city on international standards with state of the art roads, scenic beauty, hi-tech buildings and lots of open space.



As soon as the city started taking shape, it started attracting people from all over and outside Mumbai. People flocked to Navi Mumbai under the impression that they at last had a city which would give them a better quality of life in comparison to Mumbai. In a way, the city was planned keeping in mind all the requirements of the people who desired to shift permanently. Over time, more than 48 educational institutions providing educational opportunities in different faculties sprang up. According to a independent study, the literacy level in Navi Mumbai is around 96% with the average family income around Rs 9549/month as against Rs 5000/month.
But there is a darker side of this so-called international city. Despite all the planning that went into developing Navi Mumbai into a self sufficient and congestion free city, the planners overlooked the fact that they were building residential complexes near a full fledged industrial zone which comprises of various chemical factories and quarries. The industrial zone set up by the Maharastra Industrial Development Corporation in the early 60s and the quarries given to the project affected people whose lands were taken over by CIDCO placing them in close contact with the residential colonies.



Be it the constant smoke and hazardous waste from the factories or the quarry work which spews silica dust in the air as soon as blasting is done has affected the quality of life of the residents. According to environmental norms, a one acre green belt, acting as a buffer is needed around the industries to protect nearby residents from air pollution. But this rule has been openly flouted with industries and residents coexisting in close proximity. Blasting and crushing from the nearby quarries leaves behind a thick fog of silica dust which engulfs the entire city resulting in serious respiratory and breathing problems for the residents. Apart from the pollution aspect, the Maharashtra Pollution control board admits that the quarries are not following all the norms set by them. But they say that they are helpless and cannot take any action. These quarries are being run by a strong political lobby which is earning huge profits which they are not willing to forgo.
But it is not just quarries and industry which needs to be controlled and regulated. Rapid sand dredging and destruction of mangroves which is called the lungs of any city is another cause of concern. The strong construction lobby backed by powerful politicians are reclaiming land illegally. Mangroves are being covered under huge debris of garbage and construction material. This is creating a huge ecological damage and there is fear that Navi Mumbai which comes under the Zone 4 seismic zone is day by day becoming more prone to earthquake which can destroy the whole city.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Both industries and quarries are also fighting a pitched battle against each other. Both accuse each other of polluting the environment. Industries complain that the dust emanating out of the quarries is affecting their health and working of the factories.
But the long term effect of such uncontrolled quarrying is a disease called silicosis. Silicosis is caused by the inhalation of respirable dust which contains more than about 10% free silica. This destroys the lungs and kills the immune system. But the effect of the disease is slow and there is not enough awareness in the city among the residents. We met a 18 year old boy called Amit who stays just below the quarry in Turbhe. Amit started losing weight mysteriously around a year back and is now skeletal and cannot do any work. Amit’s lungs has been operated once but medicines have not provided him with any relief. Amit complains that his health started deteriorating after they shifted to this colony and is constantly coughing due to the thick dust which is released from the quarries. He feels quite relieved on Sundays since the quarries are closed on that day. His mother is now planning to send him to his native place in UP in order to escape this misery.



There are many like Amit who are suffering the consequences of poor planning which has clubbed the industries, quarries and the residents together. But either most of them are not aware or feel threatened to speak out openly due to the strong political lobby which has interests in the industry and quarries.



All is not lost yet. Changes can be made if the authorities desire so. Relocation and controlled quarrying and strict pollution standards for factories can save this city. Else Navi Mumbai is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode into a disaster.