Navi Mumbai: Responding to residents' complaints about pollution at construction sites, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has imposed a hefty penalty of over ₹92,000 on a developer in Kopar Khairane.
The civic body issued two notices, dated May 7 and May 9, citing six violations under the standard operating procedure (SOP) mandated by the High Court. The builder was given seven days to submit documents proving compliance.
This is among the largest fines levied by NMMC on errant builders; previously, a builder in Vashi was fined ₹1.1 lakh. Last year, the corporation collected over ₹1.72 crore through such penalties.
Activist Madhu Shankar from the ‘Human Chain’ forum brought the violations to the attention of the NMMC ward officer after observing dirty vehicles moving in and out of a construction site in Sector 11, Kopar Khairane.
“The mud carried by these vehicles is being deposited on the roads. Once it dries, it turns into dust and pollutes the air,” she explained.
Human Chain convenor B.N. Kumar also raised the issue on X (formerly Twitter), tagging NMMC and alerting City Engineer Shirish Ardwad, who assured “immediate action.”
The activists welcomed the prompt response but urged the civic team to remain vigilant.
“We’re happy the civic body is responsive,” Kumar said, encouraging residents to stay alert and report air and water pollution concerns.
Despite court rulings and penalties, several construction sites continue to violate SOPs and pollute the environment, he lamented. “In fact, the roads and lanes of Sector 9, Vashi, are covered in dust and cement. Site managers are failing to follow even basic measures like washing dumpers,” Kumar noted.
He recalled that during last October’s heatwave, the city’s air quality index (AQI) spiked to 400 in some areas—far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 50.
“With summer heat intensifying and construction activities accelerating before the monsoon, the situation is likely to worsen,” he warned.
“The builders, their staff, and laborers all live in this city. They must understand the importance of clean air and roads,” Kumar emphasized.