A haven for those seeking affordable homes near Mumbai, Ambernath is costing the residents in another way. People here are living amid stink and pollution caused by chemical effluents being released in the forest near their homes, and their complaints have so far gone unheeded.
"Last month, we found out that an underground MIDC pipeline dumps 80 lakh litres of untreated chemicals at Forest Naka and near the rail tracks every day," said Satyajit Burman, president of Ambernath Citizens' Forum (ACF).
The issue came to light when residents staying near Carmel School in nearby Badlapur called up the ACF help line on February 12, complaining of strong odour and a burning sensation in eyes.
"When we reached the spot, some MIDC officials told us a leakage in their sewerage pipeline was causing this problem," Burman said. They said the line ends at Ambernath, so I filed an RTI plea to seek details."
The RTI reply he got on February 27 from Badlapur MIDC stated that their treatment plant disposes treated effluents through an underground pipe at Forest Naka.
When this reporter visited Forest Naka on Wednesday wearing a mask, she was still nauseated. Untreated effluents from many chemical factories are dumped into a nullah near the railway tracks here, adding to the problem. "Treated effluents should be colourless and odourless. But here, you can see a dark-blue sludge," said Burman.
Railway staff agrees. "The 1-km stretch from Chikhloli village to Morivligaon has a fouls smell," said a railway gangman on duty. "The stench becomes unbearable and our eyes begin to water, especially in the summer when there is no wind. In the rainy reason, one can see acid bubbling up at these spots. We work for 20 minutes and go, but villagers who stay here suffer," he said.
Burman lodged a police complaint against MIDC's carelessness but to no avail. He then sent a sample of the effluents to a Thane district lab. "We got the lab report on February 28 which shows that the pH level in the water is 1, when it should be between 6.5 to 8.5," he said. DNA has a copy of the report.
Rajiv Rajput, regional officer of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Ambernath, had the spot inspected. "We have sent Burman's complaint to our head office and action is awaited. MIDC and their treatment plant are liable to face action in this case," Rajput said.
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