The Thane Forest Department has decided to take action against 32 "dangerous" huts on the slopes of the hills near Kalwa. A recent landslide that killed five family members prompted the department to conduct a survey of the hillside slums and take action. However, locals have demanded relocation before action.
Range forestry official Narendra Muthe said many homes built on the side of the hills were found to be dangerously located. "We conducted a survey and found about 1,300 cabins on the slopes, all of them risky," added Muthe.
A forest department official said that a dedicated team carried out the survey for more than 15 days in slums of Parik Nagar, Gholai nagar, Indira Nagar, Bhaskar Nagar, the Kargil area, among others. Muthe added that it was not possible to act against all the huts at the same time. He said the first step was to send a warning to the 32 "most dangerous" cabins. “We also wrote a letter complaining to Thane Municipal Corporation and Torrent, the electricity provider. We have asked the authorities to cut off the supply of water and electricity, ”added Muthe, explaining that they are waiting for news from other agencies involved.
On July 19, heavy rains caused a landslide in Kalwa. Debris had fallen on two huts in the Gholai Nagar slum, killing five and wounding two others.
