Shutdown ordered for 2 units at Kurkumbh MIDC
Contaminated water had percolated into water sources at the spot, a foul odour had spread in a 12-km radius. Villagers were up in arms
State env min calls for closure of Vishwa Laboratories, Harmony Organics plants after seeing record of rampant pollution, which had rendered 400 hectares barren with chemical sewage
Amonth after a complaint was filed by lawmakers, state environment ministerAaditya Thackeray on Wednesday ordered the closure of two chemical company units from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) zone at Kurkumbh, located on Pune-Solapur Road.
The units were identified as belonging to Vishwa Laboratories and Harmony Organics, and had for long allegedly been releasing chemical sewage into local waterbodies without any treatment. Due to this, some 400 hectares of land around had become barren, and further, area residents were being forced to purchase water from outside sources due to rampant pollution of existing resources.
After submitting a bank guarantee, Harmony Organics was allowed partial operations, albeit with strict restrictions to be followed.
The complaint in this regard came in January this year fromBaramati Member of Parliament (MP) Supriya Sule and Daund Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Rahul Kool. They had approached Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram as well as the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), after visiting the site on multiple occasions to understand the gravity of the problem.
However, despite issuing notices on their mistakes, no redressal steps were initiated by both companies.
As per the complaint, the companies had been violating all norms related to environment law, releasing untreated sewage with poisonous chemicals into nullahs and streams. Contaminated water was found percolated into borewells and wells, rendering the water toxic to beleaguered residents. “Foul odour had spread 12 km around the Kurkumbh industrial area. Over 400 hectares of agricultural land turned barren. These units were operational since 30 years and created untold adverse impact on the local ecosystem, and a threat to the residential area,” the complaint has added.
Kurkumbh villagers had also raised a voice on the same issue through several protests since last July. Memorandums were sent to the Kurkumbh Industries Association, but polluting activities rampantly continued. The issue was finally raised in the state Legislative Assembly this week. After going through the record, Thackeray issued the closure order.
Commenting on the development, Kurkumbh village sarpanch Rahul Bhosale told Mirror, “MPCB had given a proposal to create joint sewage treatment plants to these units, but they refused to act on it. They had started releasing chemical sewage through hidden sewage lines. The villages of Pandherewadi and Kurkumbh had exposed this malfunction by conducting a site visit with the help of MPCB officials and local politicians. To stop pollution, similar action need to be taken against all such offenders on a regular basis.”
Amonth after a complaint was filed by lawmakers, state environment minister
The units were identified as belonging to Vishwa Laboratories and Harmony Organics, and had for long allegedly been releasing chemical sewage into local waterbodies without any treatment. Due to this, some 400 hectares of land around had become barren, and further, area residents were being forced to purchase water from outside sources due to rampant pollution of existing resources.
Thackeray further directed that sewage and solid waste management plants be set up by keeping a 25 per cent fund reserve for such purposes by either an MIDC or whichever local body is concerned.
After submitting a bank guarantee, Harmony Organics was allowed partial operations, albeit with strict restrictions to be followed.
The complaint in this regard came in January this year from
However, despite issuing notices on their mistakes, no redressal steps were initiated by both companies.
As per the complaint, the companies had been violating all norms related to environment law, releasing untreated sewage with poisonous chemicals into nullahs and streams. Contaminated water was found percolated into borewells and wells, rendering the water toxic to beleaguered residents. “Foul odour had spread 12 km around the Kurkumbh industrial area. Over 400 hectares of agricultural land turned barren. These units were operational since 30 years and created untold adverse impact on the local ecosystem, and a threat to the residential area,” the complaint has added.
Kurkumbh villagers had also raised a voice on the same issue through several protests since last July. Memorandums were sent to the Kurkumbh Industries Association, but polluting activities rampantly continued. The issue was finally raised in the state Legislative Assembly this week. After going through the record, Thackeray issued the closure order.
Commenting on the development, Kurkumbh village sarpanch Rahul Bhosale told Mirror, “MPCB had given a proposal to create joint sewage treatment plants to these units, but they refused to act on it. They had started releasing chemical sewage through hidden sewage lines. The villages of Pandherewadi and Kurkumbh had exposed this malfunction by conducting a site visit with the help of MPCB officials and local politicians. To stop pollution, similar action need to be taken against all such offenders on a regular basis.”
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