Navi Mumbai: Raigad district admin to hold meeting on Kasardi river conservation

Navi Mumbai: The Raigad district administration will hold a meeting to assess the current status of conservation efforts and actions taken in compliance with the instructions provided by the National Green Tribunal, New Delhi, regarding the preservation of the Kasardi River.

The meeting is scheduled for May 24 at 3 pm and will be attended by representatives from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Corporation (MPCB), Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC), Taloja Manufacturers Association, and IIT Bombay, among others.

IIT Bombay's report on Kasardi River

In March 2023, IIT Bombay submitted a report to the MPCB regarding the conservation of the Kasardi River. The report highlighted the presence of chemicals in the Kasardi River water and warned of severe health effects if they are consumed.

In January 2022, the MPCB assigned IIT Bombay to prepare a report on the conservation of the Kasardi River, for which they were paid Rs 37.76 lakhs.

Earlier, in April 2014, a Taloja Monitoring Committee was formed following a directive from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). During the committee meeting, it was decided to appoint IIT Bombay to prepare a report on the conservation of the Kasardi River.

Arvind Mhatre, a former corporator of the PMC, who has long been advocating for the conservation of the Kasardi River, will also be present at the meeting. Mhatre expressed his concern that while IIT Bombay submitted its report in March 2023, the meeting has been called only now. He stated, "It was only when the media highlighted the condition of the Kasardi River and I decided to approach the Supreme Court that the district administration took notice."

2 buffalos dead, 2 others injured after entering the river

Last week, FPJ reported an incident where one buffalo died and two others suffered burn injuries after entering the Kasardi River. According to a doctor, one of the buffalos died due to drinking water from the river. Mhatre emphasized that a significant number of industrial units discharge effluents into the river, and the presence of chemicals was also confirmed in the IIT Bombay report. He intends to raise this issue during the meeting to address the delay in taking action.