The typhoid outbreak seems to be settling in Bavla taluka, but a few of its villages have decided to abstain from voting in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The typhoid outbreak seems to be settling in Bavla taluka, but a few of its villages have decided to abstain from voting in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The reason for this is a chemical factory near Bhayla and Kerala villages that is polluting the environment, creating problems for the surrounding six-seven villages.
The residents of Bhayla village said they had forwarded written complaints to the departments concerned about Unimark Remedies Ltd, which was disposing of chemical waste in the area, affecting their health. “We have approached local political leaders, but no concrete steps have been taken,” one of the villagers said.
“The issue is being unnecessarily stretched. So, we plan on boycotting this time’s elections. We will be meeting the residents of the six-seven villages that are suffering because of the factory,” said Hasmukh Parmar, sarpanch of Bhayla village.
Ten days after the first typhoid case, MLA Kanti Lakhum visited the villages. However, the villagers said he was silent on the issue of the chemical factory and asked them to submit a written application, following which he would look into the matter.
When contacted, Lakhum said he had not received any complaint from the villagers. “I saw a written complaint that was submitted to the department concerned. I have asked for a copy of the same, but have not received anything from the villagers,” he said.
Lakhum, however, accepting that Unimark Remedies Ltd had been affecting the environment, said the company had taken certain measures, because of which the pollution level had fallen drastically.
Meanwhile, an official of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), on the condition of anonymity, said, “Normally, there should be no chemical factory within a one km radius. This is a matter of investigation.”
The GPCB regularly conducts surprise checks at the unit to see if it is violating the law, the official said. “So far, the complaint of the villagers is a matter of concern and I do agree that it is a genuine issue. However, the company has installed an air-handling unit to check pollution,” he said.
Officials of the block health department said they had been busy with bringing the typhoid outbreak under control and will soon collect samples from the factory.
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