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Alleging a “grave violation” of court orders, city-based environmental NGO Vanashakti has written to the state’s chief secretary and civic officials, raising fresh concerns over a massive debris dumping site along the Mithi river in Aarey Milk Colony.

The NGO said the debris was to be cleared and the land developed into a garden as per court directives. Instead, it alleged, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has failed to comply and has transplanted trees from the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project onto the plot. Several of these trees, it claimed, have begun to wither.

Environmentalist Stalin D points to the uncleared debris during a recent visit to the Aarey site

Environmentalist Stalin D has written to the chief secretary, the municipal commissioner, and the principal secretaries of the environment and urban development departments, flagging the issue.

‘Misleading’ claim

Vanashakti termed the situation “misleading”, stating that the Aarey debris dumping case before the NGT and compensatory afforestation commitments made for the GMLR project in the Supreme Court are distinct legal matters and cannot be merged.

Concerns over survival

The NGO also questioned the survival of plantations, claiming that saplings have been planted on unstable debris, possibly mixed with chemical waste, and that several transplanted trees have already died. It has urged authorities to comply with judicial directions, restore the site as planned, and clarify the status of both proceedings.

What committee found

During its 2023 inspection, the committee examined both banks of the river, including the Tapeshwar Mandir side and the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road stretch. Its report noted that an area about 750 metres long, 80 metres wide, and 20 metres high was affected by dumped debris and mud. The damage was categorised as “severe”.

Transplanted trees and saplings in Aarey Milk Colony

A preliminary BMC estimate suggested that around 12 lakh cubic metres of debris had been dumped at the site. The committee also flagged the possibility of trees buried under the debris and recommended satellite imagery for further assessment.

What is the complaint?

The complaint refers to proceedings before the National Green Tribunal’s western zone bench, which had earlier taken note of large-scale illegal dumping of mud and debris, allegedly up to 80 metres high, along the riverbanks in Aarey.

What does the activist say?

“A high-level committee headed by the then chief secretary had assured the tribunal that the site would be scientifically restored and later converted into a public garden, with slope stabilisation as a priority. However, a recent site visit shows that instead of restoration, the land has been covered with haphazard plantations and dead transplanted trees. The same plot is now being projected as a compensatory afforestation site for trees lost to the GMLR,” said Stalin D.

Background

In July 2023, the NGT directed the removal of illegally dumped debris near the Mithi river in Aarey Milk Colony, along the JVLR stretch. A joint committee that inspected the site on July 18 flagged risks of landslides and contamination affecting the river.

The tribunal had constituted a panel comprising officials from the BMC, the Mumbai suburban collector’s office, and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board. The land falls under the Aarey Milk Colony CEO’s jurisdiction and the BMC’s S ward, as per revenue records.

mid-day visit

A mid-day visit last week found that debris along the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), near the Mithi river in Aarey, had not been cleared. Parts of the plot had saplings that were being watered and maintained. However, another section had transplanted trees from the GMLR alignment, several of which appeared dead or in poor condition, according to Stalin.