Nationwide Inexperienced Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a joint inspection into alleged unlawful quarrying and stone crushing operations behind the Tata Most cancers Hospital (ACTREC) at Kharghar in Maharashtra’s Navi Mumbai and submit the report inside a month.
The bench comprising Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and Skilled Member Dr. Sujit Kumar Bajpayee directed to conduct the survey and confirm the size of excavation and potential harm to the premier most cancers therapy and analysis facility.
“The Committee is directed to go to the location in query and submit its report as as to whether unlawful mining/crushing exercise is being achieved/had been achieved prior to now; whether or not the stated exercise is being achieved/had been achieved illegally with none permission; the interval for which the stated exercise was achieved; the amount extracted, and so on., and the harm precipitated to the Most cancers Hospital in query shall even be ascertained and the potential remedial measures shall even be urged. The Committee shall additionally confirm what influence could be on the Most cancers Hospital as a result of ongoing crushing exercise on the web site in query would have on the Most cancers Hospital. The Committee shall submit its report inside one month,” the Courtroom ordered.
NGT was listening to the 2 issues on February 12, a petition filed by NatConnect Basis director B.N. Kumar and a suo motu case primarily based on media stories. The Courtroom instructed to represent a Joint Committee comprising members from Maharashtra Air pollution Management Board (MPCB), District Collector, Raigad, Directorate of Geology and Mining Division, State of Maharashtra, and Ministry of Setting, Forest & Local weather Change (MoEF&CC), with MPCB because the nodal company for coordination and logistic help. The detailed order was uploaded on February 17.
Inexperienced teams, together with the Kharghar Hill & Wetlands Discussion board, together with native residents, have voiced severe concern over the proximity of quarrying operations to a essential healthcare establishment. They argue that “immunocompromised most cancers sufferers are particularly weak to airborne mud, vibrations and different environmental disturbances generated by mining and crushing actions”. NatConnect director B N Kumar’s counsel submitted that substantial harm has already been precipitated to the hospital construction resulting from extended blasting and vibrations. It was additionally identified that regardless of being made a celebration to the proceedings, nobody had appeared on behalf of the hospital on the listening to.
In an affidavit filed earlier than the tribunal, the Raigad District Collector acknowledged that quarrying exercise had permission solely as much as the monetary yr 2020-21 and permission was not prolonged additional, acknowledging that six crusher machines are operational on the web site and that these items possess Consent to Function from the MPCB together with a No Objection Certificates issued earlier by the erstwhile Gram Panchayat of Owe.
MPCB submitted that it had granted Consent to Function to the stone crushing items topic to stipulated phrases and circumstances. On the similar time, it recorded that proposed instructions had been issued to sure crusher items underneath the Water and Air Acts for non-compliances, indicating regulatory considerations over air pollution management measures, as per the affidavit.
The tribunal has directed the issuance of notices and listed the matter for additional consideration on April 20.
Printed – February 19, 2026 03:50 am IST
