Kalyan villagers allege chemical dumping in Nullah, Seek MPCB intervention

Residents of Rayta village in Kalyan have filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, alleging that chemical tankers are emptying hazardous substances into a nearby nullah at night. The residents have experienced foul smells and contaminated borewell water, and their crops have suffered damage. An investigation revealed a resident engaged in the chemical transport business as the culprit. The MPCB has collected samples and sent a letter to the police and other authorities for further action.

Thane: Residents of Rayta village in Kalyan have raised concerns over chemical tankers allegedly emptying hazardous substances into the nullah connected to the Valivali River at night. Approximately 60 families residing in the area, located around 10 km from Kalyan railway station, have filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), urging stringent action against the culprits.

Kalyan villagers allege chemical dumping in Nullah, Seek MPCB intervention

The residents have been grappling with foul smells permeating the region, leading to breathing difficulties. They claim that the borewell water has become contaminated, emitting a foul odour, and crops planted near the nullah have suffered damage.

Deepak Pawar, a 44-year-old businessman, initiated an investigation after noticing these issues persisting for the past seven months. Pawar stated, “We started noticing the foul odor, and later we saw even the borewell water had changed color and had a distinct odour. Initially, we thought we may be facing the issue due to the monsoon, but recently many people reported skin infections.”

Upon observing chemical tankers entering the area specifically at night, Pawar found that chemicals were being discharged into the nullah in secluded areas. Pawar said, “I found they were discharging chemicals through a pipe attached to the tanker. The smell of the chemical was so bad that I couldn’t even stand for a minute over there. There was no one around.”

With the help fellow villagers, Pawar identified a resident engaged in the chemical transport business as the culprit. The villagers approached local MPCB officials and filed a complaint.

Upendra Kulkarni, supervisor at Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Kalyan, said, “We received a complaint from the Rayta villagers and reached there to collect samples of the borewell water, nullah water, and river water. A person named S Gavali, who has a chemical transport business, was found to be emptying his tankers and also washing them once a month. We have sent a letter to the police and other authorities to take action against him. Once we get the chemical analysis report, we will take further action in the case.”