MUMBAI: The state government has decided to temporarily rehabilitate 5,500 families at Kurla , who were originally residing along the Tansa water pipeline in Ghatkopar and Vidyavihar and had been shifted to Mahul .A delegation led by activist Medha Patkar met minister for housing Prakash Mehta on Monday. She said that though the families were placed in rehab buildings in Mahul, because of pollution , they were suffering from diseases like TB, asthma, and skin problems. “They can be shifted to Kurla temporarily till they are permanently relocated,” said Mehta. The minister assured her that he will schedule a meeting with the chief minister to discuss the issue.The minister met the delegation in the afternoon following a human chain formed at Sindhu Nagar, Ghatkopar. A massive protest march was taken out till his residence by the affected people.The delegation, led by Patkar, pointed out to Mehta that it was time the state government took immediate steps to move people out of Mahul as per a high court order. “The HC asked the state government to relocate people from Mahul. The lives of people rehabilitated there have been shattered. They were forcefully shifted to a place which lacks basic necessities like clean air and water, not to speak of civic amenities, means of livelihood, and education facilities,” said Patkar.“In the last 18 months, more than 125 persons have died due to pollution-related illnesses. People should have a basic right to clean environment. People live here in constant trauma and fear, especially after the blast that took place in the BPCL refinery on August 8. The distance between the blast site and the rehabilitation site is just 20 metres. People find themselves trapped in a hellhole,” Patkar said. “Not even the police or BMC staff are ready to take possession of quarters constructed at Mahul, because of high pollution.”Last year, the BMC conducted a demolition drive and removed over 16,000 encroachments along the Tansa pipeline in city limits, considering the security risk to the water supply network. This was done on the direction of the high court. The BMC shifted many of the encroachers to Mahul despite their opposition. The rooms provided at Mahul were in a bad condition. The BMC admitted this and promised repairs. To ensure that encroachers do not return to the pipeline, the BMC proposed a cycling track parallel to it for a budget of Rs 300 crore.