NGT fines Thane collector Rs 1 lakh for debris dumping inaction

The National Green Tribunal's western zone bench in Pune has imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the Thane district collector for failing to file a reply in a case concerning illegal debris dumping at multiple locations, including coastal regulation zone sites. The bench, comprising Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, termed the collector 'incorrigible' and ordered him to deposit the amount with the NGT Bar Association and appear in person before the tribunal.

Environmentalist D Stalin of NGO Vanashakti, who filed the petition, said the fine was a wake-up call for senior officers who had been casual about environmental degradation. He noted that at least 10 sites in Thane, including CRZ areas, have massive unattended concrete and demolition waste. Stalin added that the collector's inaction continued even after the NGO tracked 15 such sites, and urged property buyers in the Thane-Diva-Bhiwandi belt to check CRZ status before purchasing.

Among the affected locations are Dive Anjur, Kasheli, Kharadi Phata, Kharadigaon, and areas near Mumbra railway station. The next NGT hearing is scheduled for October 12. Activists have demanded that the collector pay the penalty from his own pocket, not from district administration funds.