Notices to jeans washing units in Ambernath for violating environment norms

In a joint drive against jeans washing units causing pollution in Waldhuni river, the Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) served notices to five jeans washing units located at different places in Ambernath on Wednesday

In a joint drive against jeans washing units causing pollution in Waldhuni river, the Ambernath Municipal Council (AMC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) served notices to five jeans washing units located at different places in Ambernath on Wednesday.

The Ambernath Municipal Council and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board served notices to five jeans washing units located at different places in Ambernath on Wednesday. (HT photo)

As per the officials, these jeans washing units operate illegally, violating all the environment norms by discharging untreated effluents into the nearby water bodies.

Dheeraj Chavan, additional chief officer, AMC, said, “There have been complaints regarding the jeans washing units discharging effluents into the water body, causing pollution. As per the information received by us, we visited the five locations and found these units operating without any permission and also violating the environment norms.”

The locations where the jeans washing units were found are Forest naka, Palegaon petrol pump and Loknagari, Mahalakshmi Nagar.

“After serving the closure notices to these units, if they are not closed in 24 hours, we will register a case against them with the police station. We have already started serving the notices to them under the Maharashtra Municipal Council Act,” added Chavan.

Meanwhile, the MPCB officials collected water samples from the water bodies that will be tested to study the pollution caused and the source of it.

“In November, we had asked the civic bodies to act upon illegal activities causing environmental damages. Meanwhile, the MPCB is also cracking down on industries causing pollution,” said Sanjay Bhosale, deputy regional officer, MPCB.

The illegally operating jeans washing units in Ulhasnagar that were once removed shut down by the civic body have slowly shifted to nearby Kalyan and Ambernath since the last two years.