Vashi: Accusing CIDCO of repeatedly trying to harm Navi Mumbai’s environment, former MLA Sandeep Naik has demanded an inquiry against officials who allowed debris dumping in the Lotus Lake situated in Nerul.

Opposing CIDCO’s move to reclaim the ecologically-sensitive waterbody in sector 27, Naik has written to Maharashtra chief minister, Deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, forest minister Ganesh Naik, CIDCO managing director, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner, and the district collector

Over the past few days, dumping activity has reportedly started in the lake. CIDCO has granted permission to dump debris from the Navi Mumbai International Airport construction site into the lake.
Naik underscored the fact that the lake is known for blooming thousands of lotus flowers and was officially recognised as a wetland in 2017. Despite being a designated protected area, CIDCO has violated environmental laws by allowing debris dumping in the lake, claimed Naik.

He has demanded an inquiry against the officials who permitted debris from Raigad district to be dumped in Lotus Lake and urged that the dumping be stopped immediately.