Navi Mumbai: Natconnet Foundation Issues Legal Notice to CIDCO Over Illegal Temples on Belapur Hill
Navi Mumbai, 19th December 2024: CIDCO has been issued a legal notice by environmental group Natconnet Foundation for allegedly failing to follow judicial orders to remove 30 illegal temples located on the landslide-prone slopes of Belapur Hill. The notice demands CIDCO to either remove these structures or face legal action for contempt of court.
The environmental group claims that while they are not opposed to religious structures, they must be built in safe locations with proper permissions. According to BN Kumar, director of NatConnect, CIDCO had previously acknowledged the existence of these illegal temples in its 2015 survey and had allocated 16 plots in the hill area for legal structures.
NatConnect’s legal counsel, Ronita Bhattacharya, has given authorities a 15-day deadline to act in compliance with a Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) order issued in August. The order follows concerns about the dangerous placement of these temples on landslide-prone terrain. The foundation also highlighted a 2009 Supreme Court order that mandates the demolition of unauthorized religious structures in public areas.
The MSHRC had taken suo motu cognizance of the encroachments, spurred by a news report outlining the risks posed to nearby residents from potential landslides. Despite CIDCO’s assurances to the MSHRC, no significant action has been taken, and some structures are being renovated instead of demolished.
The notice stresses that under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, authorities are required to take swift and appropriate action. If no progress is made within the stipulated time, NatConnect reserves the right to initiate legal proceedings against the authorities for failing to comply with court orders.
