NOISE AT PROPOSED NAVI MUMBAI AIRPORT

3,000 families may have to move away

 

Mumbai: Around 3,000 families are likely to be affected by noise pollution caused by aircraft taking off and landing when the proposed Navi Mumbai international airport becomes operational, said Sachin Ahir, minister of state for environment on Thursday. The state government plans to commission Phase I of the airport by 2012.
    “The government plans to shift these families so that they are not victims of noise pollution,’’ said Ahir. The shifting will be carried out by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco), which is setting up the airport. The airport is coming up in Kharghar.
    Ahir was replying to questions raised in the legislative assembly. Work on the international airport is yet to commence as it has not yet received clearance from the ministry for environment and forests.
    Relocation is one of the first steps, more may follow. On May 5, the government will hold a public hearing for those affected by the construction of the airport and those affected by pollution, said Ahir. The report will be forwarded to the Centre. Though Navi Mumbai has been rated amongst the fourth most polluted cities in India in a recent report by the CPCB and the IIT, Delhi, Ahir said the pollution levels were restricted to only the MIDC enclave.
    “The airport is 15-16 km from here and will not be affected by pollution,’’ he said.