Worli Koliwada activist who opposed coastal road project dies of Covid-19

An a53-year-old activist from Worli's Koli community died on Thursday of Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

His wife and son have also tested positive and are undergoing treatment at Kasturba Hospital.

This is the second coronavirus death reported in Worli Koliwada.

The victim was part of a group of Worli Koliwada residents who tested positive for the virus, called Sars-CoV-2, early this week.

'HE RAN AROUND TO GET PROJECT STALLED'

An office-bearer of the Worli Koliwada Nakwa society, the victim vehemently opposed the Mumbai coastal road project and believed it would take away fishing jobs.

"He did a lot of running around to get the coastal road project stalled," said Harishchandra Keroba Nakhwa, a fisherman and the president of the Worli Koliwada Nakhwa Matsya Vyavasaay Sahakari Society.

An ex-employee of the Bombay Port Trust, the victim suffered from jaundice and was admitted at MbPT hospital, he said.

He got tested at Kasturba Hospital since it specializes in jaundice treatment, and it emerged that he had the coronavirus, Harishchandra Keroba Nakhwa said.

"As his son and wife were with him at the hospital, they, too, tested positive," he said.

CASE PENDING IN TOP COURT

The coastal road project case is pending in the Supreme Court.

"A reply is pending from authorities as to why they need 90 hectares of land when the work can be done in 20 hectares," said Nilesh Baxi, a veteran green activist.

"A lot of PILs are not coming up for hearing due to the lockdown," he said.

As many as 15 people have tested positive for the coronavirus at Worli Koliwada.

On March 30, a 63-year-old man who lived there died at Nair Hospital of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).