KDMC chief orders well closure, seeks licences of factories in vicinity
KALYAN WELL DEATHS
After the tragic death of five people, including two firemen, on November 1, in a Kalyan well, reportedly due to the inhalation of toxic gas and chemicals, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Commissioner Govind Bodke has ordered the filling up of the well in Netivali Lokgram and its immediate closure because of its proximity to the road and the nullah which was leaking industrial effluents into the well.
On Saturday, Bodke visited the spot and inspected the surrounding area, after which he instructed civil officials to shut down the well at the earliest. The commissioner visited the four chemical factories in the vicinity and asked them to produce their licences on Monday.
Civic officials visited Chemferts Pvt Ltd, situated 230 metres behind the Bhima Shankar temple on Friday. They asked the management of the company to shut down operations until the investigations and legal scrutiny process of the company were complete.
The firemen had gone down the well trying to rescue three men – a labourer, a trustee of the Bhima Shankar temple and his son.
A KDMC official said, "In order to avoid a repeat of this tragedy, the commissioner has ordered the closure of the well, since effluents from the adjoining chemical factories have polluted the water passing through nullah. In fact, during his inspection at Chemferts Pvt Ltd, the commissioner noticed sulphur powder in the nullah flowing into the well. As this gets accumulated, methane and other toxic gases are produced and this may have caused the death of the five people."
Well water samples were collected by MPCB officers (Maharashtra Pollution Control Board), who have sent it to their laboratory for analysis. Kolsewadi Police have registered an FIR against the responsible persons who were found negligent during the probe.
The KDMC officials said the company had been discharging its effluents into the nullah untreated. Large quantities of sulphur powder is stored in the factory. Commissioner Bodke said, "The well water is toxic, as it is mixed with chemicals."