Residents of Mahul on Sunday staged a protest outside Dadar railway station to speak up against the government’s lack of response to their relocation demand.
The protesters said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the State government filed a petition in the Supreme Court after the Bombay High Court ruled in their favour, and alleged that the government agencies are running away from their responsibilities.
Rohit Pandit, a resident of Mahul MHADA Colony, said, “We were rehabilitated in Mahul due to the Tansa pipeline project, but little did we know that the chemicals and gases would have such a severe effect on our lives.”
Ten-year-old Swaraj Gadge and 14-year-old Milli Goswami said the respiratory diseases caused by the extreme pollution are claiming lives of their relatives. They said their situation is a ‘living nightmare’ and their education is at stake too.
Anita Dhole of Mahul Prakalpgrast Samiti said despite multiple reports submitted by IITB concluding that Mahul is not suitable for living, the government is not acting on their protests and demand. “People are dying due to slow poison on a daily basis and the condition is awful. Mahul is a hell hole,” she said.
The protesters said the proximity between the residential area and industrial area is 15 metres, which goes against the rule that no residential area should be within a radius of 100 metres of chemical factories.
“The houses are right adjacent to the refineries. This is hazardous to the residents’ health because not only does it cause deaths, but the injuries due to daily blasts are uncountable,” she said.
“The government refuses to cooperate and is being adamant on believing any reports prepared by research teams. They are refusing to take into consideration anything due to our financial incapability, but we will not give up. We will continue the fight till the very end, even in the SC,” Nandu Shinde, a leader of the Mahul Prachar Samiti, said.