As thousands of Navi Mumbai residents already face health hazards due to rising pollution levels, now a mid-night foul smell of chemicals and gas has left Kharghar residents worried.
The residents believe that they are experiencing a foul smell due to the release of waste material from the chemical factories, and because of it, they can't even keep the windows open amid rising temperature levels.
A communication professional who lives in Sector-20's Jalvayu Vihar, Phase-II, says that on most nights there is a strong smell of gas around 1:30 to 2 am, which makes it difficult to breathe or sleep afterward.
"Even my baby feels uncomfortable, and he wakes up," said the resident, who is also a mother to a six-month-old infant, adding, "On March 18, the smell was so strong that the moment was frightening. The only thought that came to our minds was where do we stay to save our son from this polluted air."
"We had shifted to Navi Mumbai in this hope that our child would breathe in healthy air. At least we have the right to breathe fresh air," she said.
At nights, it feels like a drainage pipe has been left open somewhere", says Rashmi, another resident, and a finance professional.
"We had shifted to Kharghar in June 2020. Initially, I thought it was a smell from a nearby area, but now the foul smell has been continuing for hours at night. It is there at least three times a week, and I suspect some factory is releasing effluents at night."
Stating that her mother is an asthma patient, and the smell affects her, Rashmi adds, "Amid the COVID situation, the pollution is affecting our lungs. The temperature is rising, and we need some fresh air, but we can't even keep the windows of our house open. As soon as we open the window, the odour is unbearable."
"The smell wakes us up even if we are in deep sleep sometimes, affecting our daily routine as due to incomplete sleep at night there is fatigue the next day as well. During the day time there is pollution and at night, this unbearable smell. We don't want to live in this, we need some solution," said a sector-18 resident.
A few months ago, a study had found that morning walks could end up doing more damage to people's health than good, whereas, a faux lung placed at Kharghar had turned from chalk white to black in just 10 days.
Last month, a report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) had also indicated that Trans-Thane Creek (TTC) TTC and Taloja have the highest contribution in the total pollution load (together contributing about 70 per cent) in the MMR region and use of coal as the major fuel was the main culprit.
Speaking to TOI online, Bhagwan Kesbhat, the founder of the Waatavaran foundation, says that the system that controls pollution levels needs to be revamped and training should be given to them to resolve the issue.
Keshbhat, who has been living in the Kharghar for more than a decade, says "During the Diwali festival, the spike in the pollution level should have been higher in the residential areas, but when the indicators were measured, it was found that the pollution level was rather high in the MIDC area than in the residential ones. The chemical industries which have been working at night release the waste, some burn the waste that comes from Mumbai, especially bio-medical waste. We haven't seen the Pollution Control Board (PCB) or regional authorities taking any action on the uncontrolled activities."
Harish Jaiswal, an entrepreneur says that the effect of the foul smell hangs in the air even in the morning.
"Kharghar is a residential area, however, it is closer to Taloja, which is an industrial zone. Since it is a well-planned city, a lot of people shifted, but now along with water and pollution, people are facing this problem of foul odour as well. A few groups had taken the issue up with the authorities, but we are unsure what they have done about it," he adds.
Keshbhat added that the inaction indicates that the complete system is fractured, and it needs complete restructuring, otherwise, things will not move forward. "To bring some resolution, there is a need to break the nexus, inter-departmental talks need to be held."
When asked about the odour, Dr. Kavita Choutmal, Mayor of Panvel Municipal Corporation said, "We have lodged a complaint with the Pollution Control Board (PCB) about the issue and we will see what action they have taken."
Speaking to TOI, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Boards (MPCB) official said that they have received complaints from Kharghar in the past too and the regional authorities attended them.
"We have given strict instructions to officials to look into the matter. Sometimes, the odour is due to Taloja Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) and fish processing units. However, a committee consisting of MPCB officials, MIDC officials, and local authorities will look into the issue."