Polluting jeans washing units shift to Kalyan, Ambernath

AFTER ULHASNAGAR CRACKDOWN Activists say illegal units have been operating for one year

KALYAN: The jeans washing units in Ulhasnagar, that were shut by the civic body a year ago, have shifted base to Kalyan and Ambernath.

The units were shut as they had been releasing hazardous untreated effluents into the Waldhuni river in Ulhasnagar.

Activists, who are fighting against the pollution in Ulhas and Waldhuni rivers, have shifted to Ganesh ghat creek and Malang Gad road in Kalyan.

“Around 60 units are operating in Kalyan. After jeans washing activities were stopped in Ulhasnagar, we thought there will be a relief from pollution. However, the units are flourishing in nearby Ambernath and Kalyan cities,” said Shashikant Dayma, founder of Waldhuni Biradari Foundation, Ulhasnagar.

“The units were set up with support from local political leaders and they operate in these cities without any fear,” added Dayma.

In Ulhasnagar, 95% of the units have been shut since January last year after a drive by Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC).

The jeans washing units function throughout a day —jeans are washed and effluents are released into the nullahs that flow into the river.

In Ulhasnagar, there were around 500 jeans washing units.

Activists say that earlier at least1lakhjeanswouldbeputup for drying in in Ulhasnagar every day.

In April 2018, a group of green activistsrepresentingNGOVanshakti and Waldhuni Biradari Foundation that fights to Save

Ulhas river from pollution visited an open plot near Anandnagar MIDC, Ambernath. They came across some units operating illegally on the plot and releasing the effluents into a nullah.Thenullahwaterhadturned blue as washing was going on continuously.

Followed by the visit, NGO Vanshakti project officer Ashwin Aghor wrote to the regional officer of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), complaining about the illegal activity at Ambernath. But, no action was taken by the MPCB.

Around 300 jeans washing units have been operating in Ulhasnagar for the past 15 years at Gaikwad pada in Ulhasnagar camp5andKhatriinUlhasnagar camp 3. However, with the UMC cracking the whip on most of the units, only a handful are still operationalatKhatricompound, Ramayan Nagar, Ulhasnagar camp 3.

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) Kalyan division, regional officer, Shankar Sonawanesaid,“Thereare some units functioning in Kalyan. We are yet to visit the places and take action against them. We were busy for elections and hence we couldn’t take action. Since we have received complaints from Kalyan, we will check.”

Sonawane claimed that Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) can act against units which are operating illegally. “The civic body can also take action against unauthorised units in their jurisdiction,” he said.

A KDMC official, requesting anonymity, said, “We will ensure that the illegal units are shut and action taken against them soon. With help of locals, we will try and figure out where the jeans washing activity is being carried out.”

Some of the areas where the units are operating are Retibunder, Ganesh ghat in Kalyan (West) and Haji Malang road in Kalyan (East). In Ambernath, units have opened in Palegaon, MIDC road, pipeline road, Vikas petrol pump and Lokgram.

KALYAN: Three days after six hawkers were arrested for creating a ruckus near Dombivli railway station, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and Kalyan traffic police removed hawkers occupying roads near Kalyan railway station.

Thursday’s drive was one of the major eviction drives by the civic body in which hundreds of hawkers and vendors were removed.

In a video that has gone viral on social media, KDMC officials and police personnel were seen using force to evict hawkers.

They threw the goods on the road that were put up for sale.

“Almost all hawkers who do business from Shivaji Chowk to MohammadAliChowkroadand Gurudev Hotel to station road were evicted,” said Bharat Pawar, ward officer, KDMC.

The drive was conducted with 20 workers and eight policemen. The team seized four trucks of items from the hawkers.

“The action will continue in the coming days,” added Pawar.

A similar drive was carried out on Dombivli station premises, with the help of 40 policemen and 50 civic officials.

“Suddenly, the station area looked decongested and spacious. Commuters could walk freely,” said Sujata Mahadik, 29, a commuter.

However, hawkers in Kalyan blamed the civic body for not implementing the hawkers’ policy and allocating spaces to them.

On Tuesday, six hawkers, aged between 25 and 30 years, were arrested after they got into a fight at Dombivli station area.

On Monday evening, a scuffle broke out between two groups of hawkers over occupying space on the footpath.

There was chaos in the area as hawkers created a ruckus near Madhuban-Pooja theatre.

“The scuffle that broke out was due to space allocation issues. The civic body should implement hawkers’ policy and give us space. We have the right to do our business. The civic body cannot forcefully evict us all of a sudden,” said Anwar Ansari, 30, who sells fruits at Kalyan station road.

However, civic officials said they had to remove hawkers fast to stop congestion on the busy market road.

“We had to use force as some

› The civic body should implement hawkers’ policy and give us space. We have the right to do our business. ANWAR ANSARI, fruit seller

of them started opposing. Also, the station area is a busy road and we cannot delay the drive as it will lead to congestion. We had to cover 2km stretch and evict around 500 hawkers,” said Pawar.