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An extremely noisy quarrying operation, spewing toxic stone dust into the air, is functioning illegally just behind the Tata Cancer Hospital in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, information obtained via the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveals. Environmental watchdog NatConnect Foundation warns that this unchecked activity is not only harming the health of residents and patients but also endangering expensive cancer care equipment at the hospital. According to NatConnect, dust is the biggest enemy of the high-tech cancer care equipment at Tata Cancer Hospital. The quarry’s toxic dust clouds pose a serious threat to these delicate machines. "It is unimaginable to have dust particles in the air when cancer patients are being treated here," said B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation.The quarrying activity, which continues unabated despite ongoing monsoons, has loosened the soil of the Kharghar Hills. Activists point out that this could lead to landslides and destabilize the upcoming Kharghar-Turbhe tunnel, which is currently under construction. The continued quarrying without any apparent oversight or restrictions is concerning for both the environment and local infrastructure. In response to concerns raised by green activists, including Kumar and Jyoti Nadkarni of the Kharghar Hill and Wetland Forum, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis forwarded the matter to the Raigad District Collector. Following this, Kumar filed an RTI application seeking updates on the situation.The Raigad Collector forwarded the request to the Panvel Tahsildar, under whose jurisdiction Kharghar falls. In response, the Public Information Officer (PIO) from Panvel Tahsil stated that no permissions had been granted for quarrying on the Kharghar Hills. However, Kumar’s concerns over pollution were met with advice to approach the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) instead. Despite the clear lack of permissions for quarrying, the illegal activity continues. "It is astonishing that no official seems bothered about the quarrying and crushing that is taking place in broad daylight," Nadkarni lamented. She also pointed out that dump trucks carrying stone chips are regularly seen moving in and out of the area. "It is beyond anyone’s comprehension how such violations are being allowed," she said.Kumar recalled that earlier, the Director of the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) had also written to the government about the quarrying. Although the activity was briefly halted, it resumed with a vengeance shortly thereafter. At times, the dust from the quarrying activity is so thick that the hills become invisible, said Nadkarni. She also highlighted the proximity of a Gram Panchayat school to the blast sites, further amplifying the risk to children. The quarrying sites are located close to the iconic Pandavkada Waterfalls, a popular eco-tourism spot developed by the Forest Department. Additionally, the government is constructing the Kharghar-Turbhe link road, which includes a tunnel passing through the hill. Activists fear that the quarrying will weaken the hill’s structure, making the tunnel more susceptible to damage and collapse. "We have already witnessed landslides in the Irshlawadi and Parsik Hills in the past. The same could happen here," Kumar warned. The activists pointed out that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has already ruled that environmental clearance is mandatory for quarrying activities. They raised the question of how the Kharghar quarries are being allowed to operate without such clearances. Kumar has called for a thorough environmental impact assessment before any further quarrying activities are permitted. "The spate of landslides in the Himalayan states due to blasting for road expansions should serve as an eye-opener," he said. The activists are urging the authorities to immediately halt the illegal quarrying activities and address the growing environmental and health concerns.

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