Environmentalists ask for stricter regulations on stone quarrying

Mumbai: After the  government’s ban on construction activities within 100 feet of a hill range across the state, environmentalists have asserted that stricter laws should be implemented against illegal stone quarrying.

Excessive stone quarrying in the Parsik Range of the Western Ghats at Navi Mumbai and has shattered the biodiversity of the area. “The issue of stone quarrying is as critical for the city’s environment as it goes unchecked mostly. Entire biodiversity of these mountains has already been destroyed beyond repair. Despite steps taken by the government, stone quarrying continues, going deeper and deeper into the mountain range and creating new parcels of flat buildable land,” said Sumaira Abdulali, Founder of Awaaz Foundation.

 “The hills at Chandivli and Powai have lost its green cover and bird habitats owing to the stone quarrying. Entire hills have been flattened to give way to residential projects. According to the District Collector office, no permissions for stone quarrying have been given, however it is still happening across the hills,” said Debi Goenka, Founder of Conservation Action Trust. According to the environmentalist, an entire hill at Charkop, Kandivali has disappeared due to this practice.