THANE: A group of Thane citizens last week announced plans to launch a campaign, aimed at seeking accountability from authorities for allegedly sidelining public opinion, overlooking environmental concerns and failing to assess the long-term impact before pushing mega infrastructure projects across the city.Titled, “Wake Up Thanekar,” the campaign have identified projects such as the proposed Integral Ring Metro Rail, freeway expansion and a data centre at Balkum among others, which they allege would impact Thane’s green cover and urban character in the name of development and would seek clarification from the authorities about their execution and end results.Addressing the media Thursday, activist Dayanand Nene and one of the founder members, claimed over 10,000 trees were felled across the city in recent months for various projects, while authorities remained silent on compensatory plantation, survival rates of transplanted trees and the cumulative environmental cost of ongoing projects.“Road lanes are shrinking due to metro routes, service lanes are disappearing (due to Ghodbunder highway widening) and internal roads are being scooped out for ring metro putting residential neighbourhoods under increasing pressure.Yet citizens are not being consulted on decisions that will shape the city’s future,” Nene said.Activists Meghna Shetty and Himani Verma demanded mandatory public consultations, hearings and stakeholder meetings before civic authorities commit public funds to major infrastructure projects.The other founders, Rajesh Kadam and Avinash Chitnis, said, “We are forming a non-political citizens’ group of those interested in the city’s development and who could assist in scrutinising major projects which are crucial for the city. Development cannot just be reduced to a series of announcements and tree felling drives. Citizens have a right to be heard before irreversible decisions are taken. We will use every constitutional and democratic avenue available to protect Thane’s interests,” the group said.It may be noted that several resident and activist groups have been crusading for the same cause in various parts of the city for projects like the Thane Borivali twin tunnel after the MMRDA allegedly unilaterally shifted its route to pass through Mullabaug, while Hiranandani Estate residents along with BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar managed to coerce the Mahametro to review the modified route passing through their enclaves.
