NGT orders joint probe into quarry impact on Tata Cancer Hospital in Khargar

A panel will assess illegal mining, extraction scale and structural damage

Navi Mumbai: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a joint inspection into alleged illegal quarrying and stone crushing operations behind the Tata Cancer Hospital (ACTREC) at Kharghar in the satellite township of Navi Mumbai directing a detailed probe into the scale of excavation and possible damage to the premier cancer treatment and research facility.

Hearing two connected matters — a petition filed by NatConnect Foundation Director B N Kumar and a suo motu case based on media reports — the Western Zone Bench on February 12 constituted a four-member Joint Committee to visit the site and submit its report within a month. 

The order was uploaded on February 17, 2025.

The Bench, comprising Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Expert Member Dr Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, directed that the committee include representatives of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Raigad District Collector, Directorate of Geology and Mining, and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The MPCB has been designated as the nodal agency for coordination and logistical support.

Environmental groups, including the Kharghar Hill & Wetlands Forum, along with local residents, have voiced serious concern over the proximity of quarrying operations to a critical healthcare institution. They argue that immuno compromised cancer patients are especially vulnerable to airborne dust, vibrations and other environmental disturbances generated by mining and crushing activities.

NatConnect escalated the matter to higher authorities, including the Prime Minister’s Office, after ACTREC, in response to an RTI query, acknowledged the damage it has been experiencing due to mining operations and dust pollution. The intervention prompted inquiries at the state level.

The tribunal has asked the panel to ascertain whether illegal mining or crushing activities are currently being carried out or were undertaken in the past without mandatory permissions; the period during which such activities occurred; and the exact quantity of material extracted.

Importantly, the committee has also been directed to assess the extent of damage, if any, caused to the Tata Cancer Hospital and evaluate the impact of ongoing crushing operations on patients, hospital infrastructure and sensitive medical equipment. The panel has been asked to suggest remedial measures wherever required.

The order follows serious concerns raised by NatConnect and other environmental activists that repeated blasting, vibrations and dust emissions from the quarry could compromise the structural integrity of hospital buildings and affect high-precision radiological and research equipment.

The hospital, formally known as the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), functions under the Department of Atomic Energy and caters to cancer patients from across the country.

In an affidavit filed before the tribunal, the Raigad District Collector stated that quarrying activity had permission only up to the financial year 2020-21 and that no subsequent permission for excavation has been granted. However, the affidavit acknowledged that six crusher machines are operational at the site and that these units possess Consent to Operate from the MPCB along with a No Objection Certificate issued earlier by the erstwhile Gram Panchayat of Owe.

The Collector further informed the Bench that the exact quantity of excavation carried out at the site has not yet been determined. An ETS (Electronic Total Station) survey would be required to measure the extent of quarrying and assess whether any excess extraction has taken place. The tribunal has directed that such a survey be conducted and that details of the quantity excavated, including any excess, be placed on record.