National Gree Tribunal orders closure of polluting casting yards and ready-mix cement plants inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park's eco sensitive zone at Ghodbunder Road in Thane
's (NGT) western zone bench has ordered the closure of two casting yards and ready-mix cement (RMC) plants operating within the eco-sensitive zone of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) at Thane's Ghodbunder Road.
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NGO Vanashakti had filed the petition in NGT on the ground that this eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) was being destroyed due to the casting yards and RMC plants of J Kumar firm, which supplies reinforced concrete, girders and other heavy-duty infra works for projects, such as the tunnelling of Metros. A representative of SGNP, which is one of the respondents, was present in the tribunal when the order was given.
Environmentalist D Stalin of Vanashakti said: "We welcome the NGT order...It
is sad how various state departments and agencies did nothing while the forest was being damaged by J Kumar's RMC plants and casting yards."
When asked if the order will be a setback for any Metro projects, Stalin said: "There will not be any slowdown in infra projects because the firm can easily access land at Mogarpada in Thane. Also, the ESZ notification came in 2016, so all govt departments were aware that such a polluting industry cannot operate inside a green zone."
"At the Ghodbunder site of the casting yard, a board has been installed that this is adivasi land taken on rent. Can a tribal land be actually leased for a polluting industry inside an ESZ?" asked Stalin. "Every department which is a part of the ESZ monitoring committee failed to take steps to stop the degradation of the forests and to stop the pollution. We were forced to file a petition after repeated requests failed."
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