The city crime branch, on Thursday, arrested four persons for allegedly treating waste petrochemical oil for reuse. At least, 39,000 litres of waste petrochemical oil worth Rs 10 lakh has been seized during the raid. What remains after treating such oil was later thrown in the Khadi area of Mankhurd, which is hazardous to the environment, said the police.
Acting on a tip-off, a team from crime branch unit five conducted raids in Mandala area Mankhurd, where such units illegally operate and treat waste petrochemical oil without any permission. During the raid, it was found that large quantities of wastage petrochemical oil being brought to such units here oil have been treated illegally and sold to the market. Such oil is used to produce low quality lubricants and other by products, said police.
The wastage petrochemical oil, which such units used as a raw material, are itself hazardous to the environment and whatever remains after its treatment is more hazardous, said the police. Whatever remains after treating the oil is thrown in the adjoining nullah.
Following the raid, five identified as Khalil Idrisi (27), Afzal Khan (21), Irfan Saeed Massori (40) and Swaminarayan Dosad (20) were held under the relevant sections of Indian Penal Code and Environment Protection Act. During the raid, at least 39,000 litres of oil worth Rs 20 lakh were seized.