The Dungi village near the proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) was flooded during heavy rainfall last week. Almost every nook and corner of the village witnessed water-logging and even 10 water pumps set up to flush out water was insufficient as rainfall intensity was reported to be high.
Villagers claimed that the diversion of Ulwe river for the proposed airport caused the flooding in couple of villages near the proposed airport and thus they demand a full-fledged rehabilitation.
This was the third consecutive year when the village was flooded due to heavy rainfall. The villagers also staged protest on Uran-Panvel road and obstructed vehicular movements on Monday. Following villagers demand, the district collector Nidhi Chaudhari visited the village and held a meeting with villagers to take took stock of the situation.
Mahendra Patil, advisor of 27 Villages Action Committee formed to raise villagers issue, informed that a meeting with land acquisition official and district administration officials is scheduled on July 23 to resolve the rehabilitation issue of Dungi village. “Dungi village was not part of the acquisition for the proposed airport. However, due to filling at the airport site and diversion of river, the village is getting flooded since 2018”, said Patil. He added that villagers are demanding a full-fledged rehabilitation.
CIDCO has already sent a proposal for the rehabilitation of the village to the district administration. In addition, the planning agency had also carried out pre-monsoon work in all these affected villages. CIDCO had even offered four months’ rent money to the villagers to relocate during monsoon which was rejected by the villagers, demanding a full-fledged rehabilitation.
Next week on July 26, a meeting of villagers with the district administration is scheduled in Alibaug to resolve rehabilitation issues.
