Man dies after car crash at Kalwa

THANE: A 37-year-old man from Bhiwandi died his car crashed into a divider at Kalwa on Tuesday. “Sajid Ali Ansari was a resident of Gaibinagar, Bhiwandi. He was driving his four-wheeler when it rammed into a divider at Kharegaon. Ansari was taken to a hospital but he was declared dead ,” said an officer from Kalwa police station. A case has been registered against Ansari for rash driving.

PANVEL : The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the order of 50% water cut to Taloja MIDC industries. The water cut was imposed for over a month and a half by MIDC at the directions of the National Green Tribunal.

The Taloja Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) had approached the Supreme Court to get the order stayed. The stay order was given by SC bench of justice Rohintan Fali Nariman and justice V Ramasubramanian. After hearing the counsel for TMA, the SC bench stated in its order, “Permission to file appeal granted.”

It said, “A notice dated 06.09.2019 issued by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation shall remain stayed.”

Taloja MIDC area, one of the biggest in the state, has been embroiled in the pollution controversy for years. Local PWP corporator Arvind Mhatre had filedapetitionwiththeNGTstating that the local residents were facing health and life risks due to pollution in the area.

Shekhar Shringare, president of Taloja Manufacturers Association, said, “The SC order has givenusamajorrelief. Watercut in these times, when we are already facing several problems will be a huge setback for our business and our survival.”

On September 6, MIDC had, while referring to the NGT order, issued notices of 50% water cut in the region as a penalty for pollution and using water on a large scale.

Of the 600 units in the belt, 69 industrial units use 80% of the water supply. An MIDC official said, “If less water is supplied to the units, there will be lesser sewage water generated from them. This is the reason the water cut was being implemented.”

Taloja Manufacturers Association, a body of the local industrialists approached the Supreme Court on the issue asking for a stay on the order. Following hearing in the case, the Supremecourtcancelledthe50% water cut.

Shringaresaid,“Severalunits had to resort to tanker water. Several of us would have had no optionbuttoshutdown.Weshall place the facts in the Apex Court and continue our battle.”

Rajesh Zanzad, MIDC nodal officer said, “The water cut had been imposed because untreated wastewasbeingreleasedintothe river. Therearemany industries which do not have effluent treatment plant. Now that the court hasliftedwatercut, wewillallow it but with a warning.” Mhatre said, “The water cut should have been continued as untreated chemical is being released directly into theriver. Industries at MIDC have been polluting the area for years.”(