NAVI MUMBAI: Environmental organizations such as Save Belapur Hills Forum and NatConnect Foundation are urging for the immediate implementation of no-development regulations on the landslide-sensitive Belapur Hills.
Activists plan to hold a ‘Human Chain’ awareness campaign at Mahakali Chowk near the CBD-Belapur bus depot on February 22. Their concerns arise from billboards in Belapur announcing a foundation day event, which is associated with a trust listed as an encroacher according to Cidco’s legal records.
In an open letter, they highlighted Cidco’s prior attempt to commence demolition in July 2024 during the monsoon season, which they labeled as “cosmetic.” The efforts were halted out of fear of landslides. While Cidco reached out to NMMC and MSEB to disconnect water and power to illegal structures, the activists claim these actions have not materialized.
Kapil Kulkarni, a member of the Forum, stated, “The Sunday Human Chain aims to protest environmental degradation and administrative neglect. Despite explicit directives from the State Human Rights Commission to ICidco and NMMC authorities in August 2024 to eliminate illegal encroachments, no significant action has been taken.”
