Navi Mumbai: Parsik Hill Faces Landslide Danger Again, Greens Raise Alarm

The residential side of the Parsik Hill in Belapur is experiencing landslides again with the onset of the monsoon, residents and green groups say.

In its complaints to the Centre and State governments, NatConnect Foundation claimed soil from the eastern slope, facing CIDCO headquarters, is coming down. The road below is littered with soil sliding from the hill, the environmental group said. If this persists, it could pose a danger to the people and properties on top of the hill.

CIDCO allotted 200 plots on top of the hill

Sudhir Dani, a resident of Agroli village in Belapur and founder of Alert Citizen Forum noticed mud along the road during his regular morning walk. “There is a need to conduct a structural audit of buildings and Parsik hill range in Belapur to assess the present condition,” said Dani. Parsik Hill Resident Association president Jayant Thakur said, “CIDCO allotted about 200 plots on top of the hill of which as many as 100 have already developed with people living there.”

Kumar from NatConnect Foundation cited a recent IIT report commissioned by a private builder and cautioned that a certain area of the soil on the eastern slope is loose and is prone to the dangers of landslides.

NMMC points out excavation site in its affidavit

The landslides are noticed on the same side which has been illegally dug up last year under the guise of beautification. CIDCO has confirmed in its multiple affidavits at the State Human Right Commission that it has served notice on the private builder for this violation of a leave and license agreement for the plantation. In its affidavit, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) pointed out the excavation.

Moreover, the retention all built by CIDCO on the hill has begun to cave in and there are gaps in some places, Vishnu Joshi of Parsik Greens said. The wall needs to be reinforced immediately. “The wall appeared to have been broken by encroachers in some places and that needs to be plugged urgently,” Joshi said.

The NGO pointed out that a landslide exactly a year ago damaged the NMMC’s water supply monitoring centre below the hill and voices of concern over the hill’s safety were raised then.