Parsik Hill cutting: Rights body raps 'lethargic' CIDCO MD

In a jolt to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) directed the city planner’s managing director to file “his own affidavit” on the action taken against the alleged violations by a private builder in the Parsik Hill slope-cutting case.

Condemning the apathy on the part of the CIDCO's MD, the MSHRC pointed out that the top officer’s office has not responded to the civic body’s report on the violations of the agreement which stipulated that the builder was only tasked with plantation on the hill and not for digging or cutting it.

The human rights body was hearing the case after it had taken a suo motu notice of “shocking” media reports based on NatConnect Foundation and Parsik Greens forum complaints about the hill cutting which endangered lives and property.

Earlier in its affidavit, the CIDCO had admitted that a private builder violated the conditions of the agreement by digging the hill and constructing a concrete platform to put up an unauthorised advertisement hoarding and a pathway. The agency further said that it had served a notice to the builder Bhumiraj Builders Pvt Ltd on January 5, asking to remove the hoarding within 15 days.

In its fresh affidavit filed during the last hearing on February 16, the CIDCO quoted the response from the builder who claimed that the hoarding was removed on January 10 following the agency’s show-cause letter. The CIDCO even produced photographs of the site.

The Commission – headed by Justice K K Tated with M A Sayeed as a member – observed that the photographs produced by CIDCO's Advocate were not clear about the plantation. Moreover, the civic body informed the commission that it had communicated to the office of the CIDCO MD about the violations by the builder but it didn't receive any response.

Terming the issue as “serious concern”, the Commission directed the CIDCO MD to submit his own affidavit by March 27, the next hearing date. It also asked the Environment Department and Navi Mumbai civic body to file their fresh affidavits. Top CIDCO officials were not available for comments.

Published on: Thursday, March 09, 2023, 11:35 PM IST