Malad residents stage protest against the BMC

The residents of Malad staged a protest against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other authorities for the cement concrete mixture plant at Marve road on Sunday. The agenda of the protest being the numerous health hazards related to respiratory ailments that are putting their lives in jeopardy. Around 800 residents participated in the 2-and-a-half-hour rally that went on from Kharodi church to Lotus Park, the site of the cement plant. It started at 10 am and finished 12.30 pm.

Elias Gonsalves, a resident and a member of local residents association said, "we didn't have a clue that the plants will pose serious threats to our health. We were rather satisfied by their presence since we thought the goal is to achieve the long standing road development issue of our vicinity."

Gonsalves also raised a question about BMC's move to change the very base of their vicinity from residential to industrial. "The plant shouldn't have gotten permission because our vicinity is residential. It's the mistake of the pollution board and factory department for giving them the necessary permissions," he added.