Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation releasing raw sewage into Thane creek

A land dispute has forced the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to shutdown its sewage treatment plant (STP) at Ghansoli resulting in the release of 37 MLD of untreated sewage into Thane creek

Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has been releasing 37 million litres per day (MLD) untreated sewage into the Thane creek for the past few days. NMMC was forced to shut down the sewage treatment plant (STP), owing to a dispute over the land on which the plant is situated. Release of untreated sewage into the water resources is in stark violation of the Supreme Court order dated 22.02.2017 in the matter of Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti Vs. Union of India and attracts penalty in the form of environmental compensation by the National Green Tribunal.

NatConnect Foundation, an NGO, had complained to the NMMC about the release of untreated sewage into Thane creek. The director of the NGO B N Kumar told mid day that a NMMC city engineer confirmed to him about the shutting down of the STP and the civic body is trying to have the plant resume operations. Kumar has now taken up the issue with the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who also holds the Urban Development Department.

"The STP has been shut down due to a dispute over the land. The plot is at Sector-15, Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai and the node has been witnessing a rapid growth." said Kumar. The person who has claimed the ownership of the land has alleged that he is yet to receive the compensation from CIDCO for the acquisition of his land. "The engineer said NMMC tried to run the plant with police help but the obstruction continued. NMMC has even requested CIDCO to intervene and sort out the dispute with the owner," said Kumar.

Kumar pointed out that the flow of untreated sewage into the creek posed a major threat to marine life and biodiversity. "The flow of toxic sewer pollutants into the creek impacts marine life and the lives of the people who consume seafood fished from these waters. I have requested CM Shinde to quickly resolve the dispute to protect the environment," said Kumar.

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Local resident N Mhatre said the situation has been appalling and no authority worth its name has bothered to have the STP resume operations. Kumar, a long-time resident of Navi Mumbai pointed out that Ghansoli has emerged as one of the prime realty destinations. In a CIDCO floated tender in June last year, a plot fetched over Rs 3 lakh a sq mtr at Ghansoli. It is shocking that CIDCO has not bothered to sort out the dispute of the land on which STP is situated while planning massive commercial and residential complexes in the area, he said.