CMO orders probe into massive forest fire at Belapur Hills in Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai: Following the massive fire breakout at Belapur Hills on Wednesday night, which has occurred repeatedly in the previous years, the CMO has taken cognizance of the incident. Activists appealed to CM Fadnavis, seeking a high-level probe into the recurring breakouts atop the Hills. The CMO alerted the Urban Development Department (UDD) and the forest and environment departments, seeking action on the issue.
BN Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, said, "The CMO forwarded our complaint to the principal secretary of UDD, the additional chief secretary of forests, and the secretary of the environment and climate change department of the state. We appreciate the prompt action by the CMO." He continues, "Hopefully, this will be an eye-opener for officials who were turning a blind eye to the Belapur Hills crisis despite repeated complaints."Environmental groups for years raised alarm over alleged encroachments, illegal construction, and destruction of vegetation on the hills. The loss of green cover, they warn, weakens the natural binding provided by tree roots and increases the risk of landslides during the monsoon. "With large-scale construction and clearing of vegetation already destabilising the slopes, recurring forest fires only worsen the danger," Krishnan Potti, an environmental activist, said. Activists said the Belapur Hills issue now demands coordinated action from multiple departments to protect the fragile ecosystem, prevent further encroachments, and ensure that recurring fires do not become a pretext for irreversible damage to one of Navi Mumbai's few remaining natural hill landscapes. Pravin Bodakhe, chief fire officer of Panvel, said, "As there is no access road to reach the spot where the fire breaks out on the Belapur Hills slope, our fire-fighting team managed to douse the fire by reaching the Phanaswadi Adivasi hamlet."Sanjay Joshi, senior inspector of Kharghar, said, "We installed warning signboards at the entrance near Pandavkada waterfall and the roads leading towards the hills, prohibiting citizens from entering late in the evening. Now, cops will be deployed at the entrance to the hills."