Residents demand action against dust pollution from ready mix concrete plants in Navi Mumbai.

The Pollution

According to reports, the many ready-mix concrete plants that operate in the MIDC area from Turbhe to Khairane are breaking Pollution Control Board rules, which is causing serious dust pollution and endangering the health of the local population. People are experiencing respiratory illnesses as a result of the situation getting worse, which has led to urgent calls for government action.

People who live and work near these concrete plants have complained about the persistent dust clouds that surround the area, making it hard to breathe. They have no other choice but to cover their noses with handkerchiefs while driving on the dusty roads.

About 40 concrete facilities with varying degrees of compliance and non-compliance with Pollution Control Board requirements are located in the Turbhe MIDC area. Many factories are allegedly functioning without consideration for environmental norms, even if some follow the regulations. Because of this carelessness, pollution levels have significantly increased, putting the health of people living in neighboring urban areas like Indira Nagar, Ganapati Pada, Bonsari village, and Dag Khani at risk. Asthma and other respiratory problems have been reported by several people.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board must move quickly to punish the infringing concrete plants, stressed Mahesh Kotivale, Deputy City Chief of the Shiv Sena (UBT). “The health of our citizens is at stake, and we cannot allow these plants to operate unchecked,” he said. Residents say the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board has received several written complaints about the problem, but no meaningful steps have been done to resolve it.

Navi Mumbai International Airport Will Be Named After D B Patil, Says Maharashtra Minister Ganesh Naik.

The Airport

Ganesh Naik, the minister of forests for Maharashtra, said on Monday that the forthcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport will bear the name of the late D B Patil, who led the project’s impacted individuals.

In Vashi, Naik spoke in a janta darbar, or public hearing.

“Atul Patil, D B Patil’s son, approached Naik during the occasion to ask that the Navi Mumbai International Airport be named in his father’s honor. In response, Naik promised that the airport will be formally christened in D B Patil’s honor once commercial operations began, according to a press statement.

Project-affected persons’ (PAPs’) requests for equal land regularization prices and freehold status for LIG and MIG lands would be discussed with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, according to Naik.

The then-Maha Vikas Aghadi administration chose the name “Loknete Swargiya DB Patil International Airport” in 2022 after construction on the new Navi Mumbai International Airport began in February 2018.

Last month, a top official at Adani Airports Holding Ltd (AAHL) stated that the airport is anticipated to open on April 17, 2025. The second week of May is when the procedures will begin.

According to authorities, the airport successfully completed a commercial flight test in December when an IndiGo A320 passenger plane touched down at runway 08/26.

Navi Mumbai Residents To Face 10-Hour Water Supply Disruption As NMMC Undertakes Urgent Morbe Pipeline Repairs.

The Repair

Due to urgent repairs being made to the Morbe main water pipeline near Belpada Metro Station by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), residents of Navi Mumbai would be without water for ten hours on Tuesday.

“Belapur, Nerul, Vashi, Turbhe, Sanpada, Kopar Khairane, Ghansoli, and Airoli are among the areas that will experience a water supply suspension from 10 am to 8 pm,” the notice said.

Apart from these regions, Kamothe Node (CIDCO area) will not have direct water connections from the main pipeline and water supply. As the system stabilizes on Wednesday, February 5, households can notice low water pressure and insufficient supplies.

The NMMC has asked people to comply with the authorities and utilize water wisely at this time.

This month, there have been two interruptions to the water supply. By sending out a notice the day before, NMMC also started an urgent repair project on the main water pipeline on January 8. “Those who work outside the home in particular find the frequent shutdowns to be quite inconvenient. Then, before we leave for work in the morning, we have to make different preparations,” Nerul resident Reema Chavan stated.