Illegal RMC plants built on wetlands, says Maharashtra pollution control board (MPCB) units continued operations using generators despite closure orders

VASAI: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has confirmed that several Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plants in Vasai were running illegally on land marked as wetlands. This confirmation follows FIRs filed by revenue officials against 28 RMC units for not submitting valid approval documents."Your plant is located in Sasunavghar area which is a wetland natural intertidal mudflat area and where illegal dumping of the debris was observed by the joint inspection committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in a case filed in 2023," read the notice copy sent to RMC plant owners. Sasunavghar and Maljipada are very close to Vasai creek and contain several wetland parcels and mangroves. Anand Katole, sub-regional officer (SRO), said that, "MPCB doesn't have the right to file an FIR against illegal RMC units but only issue closure notices.

If they are found active even after closure notices then we have to approach the court but still cannot file FIR’s against such erring units, said MPCB SRO Anand Katole." He also said that after it was found that the RMC units were operating even after closure notices by using generators, they wrote to the VVCMC to seal those generators as it falls under their jurisdiction. He also confirmed that the MPCB can only send details of illegal RMC units to the MSEB, who then disconnect the power supply to such units.

It has now been confirmed that the illegal RMC units, even after receiving closure notices from the MPCB and having their power disconnected by MSEB, continued operating for months using generators — surprisingly, without anyone noticing. Deepak Rao, an activist, said that there is no coordination between the VVCMC, MPCB, and the revenue officials. "How can RMC units operate illegally in broad daylight with no one noticing it," he questioned. He claimed that the wetlands have been reclaimed by filling them with thousands of tonnes of construction debris and sand to level the ground, which has contributed to highway flooding in recent years. Illegal construction, he added, has irrevocably damaged the eco-sensitive zones and wetlands of Vasai.