An inspection that was carried out after the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Panchayats intervened and asked GSPCB to submit a report. The inspection, carried out by GSPCB Environmental Engineer Sanjeev Joglekar, had given the locals a lot of hope that there would be some punitive action.
Villagers felt that the loose excavated soil would be carried to the adjacent fields during the monsoon. The report states that none of the paddy field owners were present for the inspection and that paddy fields were not cultivated in the recent past – a claim refuted by the locals.
The report stated that “no excavation activity was carried out during the time of the inspection and no excavating machinery was observed within the premises, and that the company representative had informed that the soil was dumped prior to last monsoon”.
“The unit has made an appropriate road to their premises, for which some top soil has been removed and dumped in the property for levelling purpose. The levelled area will be approximately 300 square metres out of total area of 1.22 lakh square metres. The unit has not started any construction activity at the site. During the inspection, no excavation activity was seen to be carried out,” Joglekar said.
The locals have objected to how GSPCB has played down their fears regarding the excavated soil as the report referred to it as “some top soil” and disagreed with the figure of 300 sq mts.
“They have cut a five-metre tall hill and a 12-metre wide access. How is this only 300 sq mts? It cannot be 300 sq mts, but is definitely a lot more,” said Baburai Amdaikar.
Vithal Gaonkar, a local, expressed surprise that GSPCB had said there was a “rare possibility of runoff”, and had left the matter by stating that the company was instructed to take precautionary measures, and no punitive action had been initiated.
The precautionary measures include the construction of a settling pond, diversion of all runoff into the settling pond, and to provide a series of check dams after the settling pond before leaving the run-off into the field.
“The plot shares a common boundary with the fields on the west side, but the plot is at a higher altitude of four metres. Hence, the unit is directed to keep a buffer of around two metres while levelling and provide a garland drain along periphery, so that the runoff will be diverted into settling pond,” says the report.
The villagers point out that this has not been done yet though the monsoons are here, and they will have to face the consequences.
“Part of the unit’s property is besides Uguem River, which is on a slope. The complainant stated that the unit will level the area, during which some soil might enter the river, thereby obstructing the flow. However, the unit representative stated that only cleaning activities are undertaken by the unit. This part of the property mostly includes cashew trees,” said the GSPCB report.
GSPCB has attached pictures of the soil being dumped within the premises, nullah within the unit premises, paddy fields and discharge location, and boundary of the unit on the west side.
GPSCB referred to the two nullahs and has stated that it will carry the monsoon runoff within the unit premises, while also pointing out that the two nullahs join at a point and eventually leads to the fields.
“The fencing of the boundary carried out by the unit and ‘cleaning activities’ was blocking the nullahs, but this concern was ignored by GSPCB. One of the trees near this nullah has become the victim of this ‘cleaning activity’, which is a term used in the report to justify their actions. It was a spot for religious offerings and prayers,” said Santosh Gaonkar
