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To curb pollution, NGT says no to new or expansion of factories

In fact, it has said no new industrial units or expansion of existing units will be allowed until measures are taken to protect the rivers that provide drinking water to thousands in the district.

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To the relief of Thanekars and environmentalists, who have been worried about the consistent rise in the pollution of Ulhas and Waldhuni rivers, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the state and local industries to take concrete steps to prevent its pollution.

In fact, it has said no new industrial units or expansion of existing units will be allowed until measures are taken to protect the rivers that provide drinking water to thousands in the district.

Moreover, NGT has asked the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) and the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporations (KDMC) specifically to deposit Rs15 crore each and the Kulgaon-Badlapur and Ambernath municipal councils to deposit Rs5 crore each with the divisional commissioner within six weeks for the restoration of the Waldhuni and Ulhas rivers.

It also alleges that the Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) provided by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in Ambernath, Dombivli, Badlapur are either inadequate or not operating efficiently.

The application also points out that though the MPCB and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had issued notices to polluters, they had not taken adequate legal action and some industries discharging effluents were bypassing CETPs.

MIDC has been asked to commission the effluent disposal systems within 24 months and submit a bank guarantee of Rs10 crore to the MPCB to ensure compliance and it will also oversee the work to repair and enhance the capacity of the treatment plants.

A committee under the divisional commissioner has been directed to adopt suitable experts for planning and implementation of restitution and restoration works on the rivers. As per the order, within the next 18 months, the divisional commissioner has been directed to ensure the clean up and beautification of the river banks to protect them from any unauthorised dumping of wastes and effluents.

NGO Vanashakti had filed an appeal before the NGT to restore the Ulhas river, which was being subject to discharge of untreated effluents from MIDC industrial estates, alleging that the pollution seriously affects the health of people in the vicinity.

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