Dow office set on fire, 4 arrested

At least 100 people, worried about industrial pollution, allegedly set fire to a construction site of a local unit of Dow Chemical Company near Shinde village on Friday, police said. The company is setting up a research and development centre with an initial investment of Rs4 billion.

Intruders broke into the construction site around 8.30 am and set an office and two vehicles on fire, said SP Ravindra Kadam. No one was injured. Four people have been arrested. “It was an act of vandalism,” said Nandu Sanglikar, spokesman for Dow India. He said some of the intruders were villagers, who were convinced that the centre would pollute the area’s soil and water.

Dow officials said the new research centre would open in 2008 and house 500 scientists by 2010, who would look into energy conservation, water purification and pharmaceuticals. Sanglikar said the villagers’ fears were unfounded and that the site would have “zero liquid discharge”.