By Ancy D’Souza Paladka
Daijiworld Media Network—Mumbai (CN)
Mumbai, Oct 7: Bhyandar Deanary of Mumbai Diocese marked the anniversary of the protest against the dumping ground project, recently.
All the people from 10 parishes of Daharavi Island and Bhyandar deanery gathered at Uttan Bhate Bunder Vailankani Mata Shrine for a prayer vigil followed by a mass by Bishop Bosco Penha.
After the mass all, the people took lit candles and walked in a procession for about 2 kms. Fr Amrut Ofm Capuchin, Fr Ozy D’Souza, Fr Michael D’Souza, Fr Fredrick Rosario, Fr John Lopes, Fr Lesli, Fr Joe Paul D’Souza, Fr Vincent, Fr Victor and Fr Hensom participated in the programme.
People from St Andrew-Chowk, Our Lady of Lourdes-Pali, Our Lady of the Sea-Uttan, Holy Magi-Gorai, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour-Manori, Divine Mercy-Bhayandar East, Our Lady of Nazareth-Bhayandar West, St Joseph, Mira Road, St Jerome, Kashimira, and Divine Mercy, Bhayandar East, participated in this peace rally. Videos of the brutal ‘lathi’ charge on peaceful protesters that took place last year were shown on the occasion.
The Uttan dumping ground protest began on September 13, 2009 with the participation of more than 10,000 people, mainly East Indian Catholics. The protest was a 24x7 peaceful vigil and no garbage trucks were allowed to enter the area. However, the protest took a violent turn on September 24, 2009, when two trucks loaded with garbage were escorted with police protection.
About 100 to 120 people who were keeping vigil tried to obstruct the garbage trucks. But the police started using their lathis on the peaceful protesters and threw expired tear gas grenades on them. The incident occurred at Anand Nagar.
A second lathi charge took place at Bhoot Bangla (the Uttan-Gorai-Bhayandar junction). Hearing news of the incident protesters in thousands flocked the site of the lathi charge. The police tried to stop the protesters but they were forced to retreat. The protesters stood their ground till they were informed that the Thane District Court had stated that no garbage trucks should enter the area and dumping ground for the next two weeks.
Locals claim that the Uttan dumping ground project is built on the beautiful hills in Uttan village. The project, sanctioned as a recycling plant, adversely effecting the environment, health, and life of the people of the surrounding areas and making it difficult for them to live. The well and tubewell water in the region is polluted to the extent that it cannot even be used for farming. As a result, most of the fields are turning barren. Emissions from this plant are causing health problems and various undetected diseases have become a nightmare for the people.