Navi Mumbai: Residents of Dungi village in Panvel taluka staged a rasta roko on the Panvel-Uran Road to protest waterlogging, which they claim is due to a landfill for the Navi Mumbai International Airport project. The village, situated at the edge of the project area, has been flooded since Sunday, villagers said on Tuesday.
They said written complaints to CIDCO demanding rehabilitation have not brought relief. Resident Adesh Naik said, “On Tuesday evening, a CIDCO engineer visited, only to inform their Joint Managing Director will be visiting us on Wednesday.”
Farmers say they have lost out on the June-September sowing season due to the landfill and flooding. “We have a 1.5-acre piece of land where we grow rice. This year, nothing has been done due to this issue,” Mr Naik said. Reena Patil who participated in the rasta roko, added, “There is water outside and inside the house. The furniture, bed, foodgrains — everything is wet. CIDCO had told us the landfill will be 100 metres away from our village, but it is only 20 metres away. Our village has 80 houses and 385 people; CIDCO can rehabilitate us easily, but they’ve been ignoring us.”
Prajakta Lavangare, Joint Managing Director, CIDCO, said, “The area is low-lying. The flooding is because of rainwater from the southern side of Navi Mumbai, which is collecting there due to diversion work on Ulwe river. This work will be completed before the next monsoon, and the problem will be solved. We have supplied water pumps and will also visit the village.” Villagers, however, said the pumps are of no use. “Some of the villagers have shifted temporarily to another village till the monsoon is on, but not all can afford shifting their base,” Ms Patil said.
Lokesh Chandra, MD, CIDCO, said Dungi village is not part of the rehabilitation programme for the airport project. “The flooding is temporary and we will do whatever is possible. The rehabilitation demand has no standing.”
