Two days on, no respite from stench in Dombivli: Residents

DOMBIVLI: Two days after residents and commuters from Dombivli MIDC and Kalyan complained about a stench in their area, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has yet to found the cause of the stench.

Since Tuesday night, residents of Dombivli MIDC and Thakurli complained about a stench in their area which allegedly left some residents with breathing problems.

Commuters of local trains between Kalyan and Dombivli stations also complained about the stench.

Jay Nair, 39, who travelled by the 9.17am local from Kalyan, said, “After the train left Kalyan station, we were hit by a bad odour. It was difficult to breath. An asthma patient would face lot of trouble in such air. I immediately lodged a complaint with the pollution board.”

This is not the first time the residents of Dombivli and Thakurli have complained of bad odour in their area. They claim it is the same situation every day, but Tuesday night was the worst.

“We couldn’t sleep because of the odour. My mother, who has breathing problems, fell ill,” said Sulochana Mahadik, 35, a resident of Khambalpada, Dombivli MIDC.

The residents living near Patripool area also complained about the gas-like smell.

The stench spread across Dombivli MIDC Khambhalpada road, 90-Feet Road in Thakurli as well as Patripool area in Kalyan (West).

Shankar Waghmare, a regional officer from MPCB in Kalyan, said, “Last week, we sent a notice to two companies in Dombivli MIDC asking them to shut down as they were found releasing effluents into the drain. However, we have not found the source of the stench.

Our officials are continuously keeping a watch. They will report about it and take action.”

Last month, activists from Dombivli approached the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) officials complaining about stinking nullahs on Khambalpada road.

“This has become a neverending problem of Dombivli. People can’t breathe. We have complained to officials many times, but the officials are not bothered,” said Raju Nalawade, secretary of Dombivli Welfare Association and an activist.

Followed by the complaints, a team of MPCB officials visited different spots in Dombivli MIDC, Thakurli railway station, Patripool and Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in Dombivli MIDC to take a stock of the situation.

“During our visit, we did not get the stench. We will keep a watch on Thursday morning,” Vishal Munde, an MPCB officer, Kalyan.