Hunger strike begins May 18 against Navi Mumbai's controversial waste-to-energy project
Senior corporator Suresh Kulkarni will begin an indefinite hunger strike on May 18 to protest against the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC). The demonstration targets a proposed Waste-to-Energy (WTE) and Compressed Biogas (CBG) project at Turbhe Stores, which residents claim poses serious risks to health and the environment. Kulkarni accuses the civic administration of pushing the project forward without proper public consultation. He states that a scheduled meeting was abruptly cancelled, leaving local stakeholders unheard. The corporator also warns that the project’s buffer zone could harm rehabilitation efforts for thousands of slum dwellers in Turbhe.
The protest has gained backing from other corporators, including Sangeeta Ramchandra Sangale, Aboli Mahesh Kulkarni, and Sangeeta Devidas Lagade. Local residents and organisations have also joined the opposition, demanding the removal of both the proposed project and the existing dumping ground. Kulkarni has made it clear that the agitation will continue until the NMMC provides a written guarantee to scrap the plans. He has also held the administration accountable for any potential law-and-order issues or health complications arising from the protest.
The hunger strike will start at 10 am on May 18 near Shiv Sena Branch No. 1 at Turbhe Stores. Kulkarni insists the project must be halted to protect residents’ health and living conditions. The protest will persist until the municipal corporation meets the demonstrators’ demands in writing.
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