Improper to allow project-affected people to stay in unfit Mahul: HC to Maha, BMC

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday said it was not proper on the part of the Maharashtra government and the BMC to make people stay in chemical pollution affected

Mahul in suburban Mumbai.

Some 15,000 families were displaced after their houses near the Tansa pipeline were ordered to be demolished by the high court.

The high court had, while directing for the demolition, said encroachments on the Tansa water pipeline posed a risk to the lives of lakhs of city residents if any untoward incident were to occur.

The Brihamumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shifted the displaced people to a housing colony in suburban Mahul.

 

However, several families refused to move claiming air pollution there was severe and it posed health risks.

The court had then asked BMC to provide alternate accommodation to those people or pay them rent so that they could themselves find a place to stay.

A division bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Bharati Dangre on Tuesday was hearing applications filed by some of the displaced persons.

"Let us face a harsh reality. To save lakhs of people, you (government and civic body) cannot let these thousands to die. This is not correct. The government and corporation cannot say these persons will have to stay in a place that even the National Green Tribunal has said is not fit to stay," Chief Justice Nandrajog said.

The NGT, in December 2015, noted that air pollution in Mahul was severe, and had directed for a periodic study and a comprehensive plan to improve air quality.

Senior counsel Raju Subramaniam, appearing for the government, said since then the air quality has improved.

The bench, however, noted that it cannot make people stay in such an area and say the air quality will improve in few years.

The court directed the petitioners and the government to submit a chart of studies carried out by various expert bodies on the air quality in Mahul.

The court will hear the petitions further after two weeks.

Around 200 of 15,000 affected families have shifted to Mahul so far.