Waldhuni river turns red; locals file fresh complaint with CPCB
AFTER LOCKDOWN-3 Activists blame production surge; MPCB says no threat to drinking water
Waldhuni, a river that provides drinking water to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), has turned red due to discharge of untreated industrial effluents. On Tuesday, members of the Ulhasnagar Citizens Forum, a residents’ body, filed a fresh complaint with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) attaching photographs of the polluted river turning red (see image).
“After decisions were taken to allow industries to function during lockdown-3, there has been a surge in production. However, at the same time common effluent treatment plants (CETPS) are dysfunctional,” said Satyajit Burman, member of the citizen’s forum.
“Despite repeated complaints, government bodies are violating the law along with industries dumping chemical effluents directly into the river leading to serious health problems for the entire Thane district,” said Burman.
Ulhas river and its tributary, Waldhuni, provides drinking water to more than 30 lakh residents in Thane-badlapur. The water is pumped out from higher reaches of the rivers before it reaches the industrial area. A water quality report of samples from the drinking water zone of the rivers by residents at private lab last year showed the water was highly polluted. Local municipal bodies said they were not aware of the issue as they were busy dealing with Covid-19 matters.
SL Waghmare, regional officer, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), said, “This section of Waldhuni river does not meet Ulhas river at all, and drains at Ulhas creek before entering the sea. There is no threat to the drinking water of Thane-badlapur belt due to these industrial effluents. However, there is a threat to natural environment and biodiversity of the creek. We will soon have our inspection results in the matter.”
HT had earlier reported that the CPCB took cognisance of increasing water pollution in Waldhuni last month and directed the MPCB to act on the complaints.
“The red colour seems to be coming from either dye industries or bulk drug producing (pharmaceutical) plants,” said Waghmare. “A list has been made of such units and investigation on the source of this pollution began on Wednesday. We will be filing a detailed inspection report and take action against violators.”
According to Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), there are 30,115 industrial units functioning across the state during lockdown with 8.06 lakh employees working. Of this, MMR has around 386 functional units mostly sanitiser production and pharmaceutical bodies. “Strict orders were issued to units to ensure treatment of waste before discharge. With MPCB’S help, we will be identifying the polluting bodies,” said Kalidas Bandekar, superintendent engineer (MMR), MIDC.