350 join silent human chain against loud NMIAL blasts

Making their protest against high-intense blasts to flatten the solid, rocky hills at the construction of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), over 350 citizens formed a 900-meter-long silent human chain on Sunday.

The human chain, with protestors silently holding banners, stretched from one end of the Joggers’ Track at Sector-15, CBD-Belapur in Navi Mumbai highlighted the suffering of the residents due to frequent loud blasts that lead to wide cracks and shattering of window glasses.

Initiated by NatConnect Foundation, the silent protest drew a massive response not only from the creek-facing housing societies but NRI Seawoods and Parsik Hill.

“After the Chief Minister responded to our complaints last week and asked the state aviation and urban development departments to intervene, we expect the government to order a structural audit of the affected buildings,” said NetConnect director B N Kumar.

The silent protesters held a series of banners conveying the message that NMIA Limited must reduce the intensity of blasts and the immediate need for structural audits of the buildings by the government or NMIA.

“We have nothing against the airport, but the blasting of the solid rock hills has been causing a lot of trouble to us,” said Rohit Agarwal of Arenja Cooperative Housing Society, Sector-11, CBD Belapur.

The blasts also cause huge dust pollution in the area, he said.

General physician Dr B B Gajare, who practises at Sector 15 of CBDBelapur, said the number of cases with respiratory problems has constantly on the rise. “Even in my building in Sai Vihar, we have seen big cracks,” he said.

Realtor Israel Shaikh showed pictures of his shattered window panes and blamed the high-intense blasts.

Suryakant Pandey of Sai Vihar society showed the huge cracks in pillars and walls that were caused by the airport site blasts. In response to Pandey’s complaint, R B Dhayatkar, CIDCO Chief Engineer of NMIA project, admitted that the society is close to the northern boundary of the airport site. He asked NMIAL to look into the issue and take action.

Kumar, however, said that CIDCO cannot wish away its responsibility as the planner is building the airport project through Adani Airports Limited. It is the duty of CIDCO officials in-charge of the project to ensure that the contractors meet all environmental clearance norms, he said.

Former corporator Netra Shirke expressed the hope the CM and CIDCO would take appropriate action to redress the genuine grievances of the residents.

Vishnu Joshi of Parsik Greens said the blasts to flatten the hills are causing huge uncontrolled dust pollution affecting the AQI.

The organisers did a headcount of the participants of the Human Chain and collected their signatures. “We will plan the next steps soon,” C D Gupta of Belle Vista society said.