Published On : Tue, Dec 29th, 2015

Bawankule orders closure of five polluting companies in district

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Nagpur: Acting tough, the Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday ordered closure of five companies based in different parts of the district for spreading pollution and thus playing with the lives of citizens. Apart from ordering closure of the five polluting companies, the Guardian Minister gave a dressing down to officials of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Nagpur, for turning a blind eye towards complaints of citizens in this connection.

“The companies were polluting water and environment because of the lethargic attitude of the MPCB officials towards the menace,” lamented Bawankule and later immediately contacted concerned department’s Principal Secretary Malini Shankar on phone and briefed her about the episode. The Minister also hinted snapping of power supply to these offending companies.

Notable, three of the companies namely Madhya Pradesh Paper Mill, Adani Wilmer and Malu Paper Mill in Saoner Taluka release their chemically contaminated water into nallahs of villages. The colour of the water released is pitch black and it emanates foul smell. The citizens residing nearby suffer the brunt of this stinking smell posing hazards to their lives. The toxic water released in Revni nallah gets flown to Kolar River contaminating its water beyond imagination. The hassled citizens knocked doors of MPCB umpteen times but the officials conveniently turned a blind eye towards the toxic issue. The MPCB officials just pretended to be taking action but it remained on papers only, said the citizens.

Sources said that the contaminated water is damaging crops of farmers and also polluting water of their wells. Cracking down on the negligent MPCB officials, the Guardian Minister Bawankule directed them to serve closure notices to the companies. He also directed the MPCB officials to inspect the water polluting companies in the district and submit their reports to Sub-Divisional Officer and concerned Tehsildars within eight days.

500 houses in Bahadura turn black:
In a small village Bahadura near Nagpur, around 500 houses of villagers have turned black due to thick smoke emanating from two nearby plastic companies. Apart from houses, the smoke has turned bodies of villagers sleeping outside black, said the complaints. These plastic companies burn plastic and the toxic smoke plays havoc on atmospheric environment. This aspect too was cold shouldered by the MPCB officials, stated the sources drawing strong displeasure from the Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule who ordered closure of the two companies.

Rajeev Ranjan Kushwaha ( rajeev.nagpurtoday@gmail.com )