Unidentified persons booked following death of crabs, fish in Uran

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has filed an FIR with reference to the pollution of Bhendkhal Creek in Uran leading to the death of several fish and crabs; local fishing community and environmentalists have raised an alarm against some chemical tankers being washed with the creek water at Bhendkhal

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has filed an FIR with reference to the pollution of Bhendkhal Creek in Uran leading to the death of several fish and crabs.

Unidentified persons have been booked following the death of crabs, fish at Bhendkhal Creek in Uran. (HT PHOTO)

The local fishing community and environmentalists have raised an alarm against some chemical tankers being washed with the creek water at Bhendkhal, NatConnect Foundation said.

MPCB Sub-Regional Officer, Sachin Adkar, confirmed that an FIR against unidentified persons has been filed with the Uran police.

Adkar said, “We had inspected the creek and collected samples for testing. The test results are being analysed. While we did not find anything there, we had information on some chemical tankers being cleaned there and hence the FIR has been lodged. The water can be contaminated for various reasons. There could be some chemicals also due to highly contaminated effluents.”

He said that the police need to find who disposed of the chemicals.

Tahsildar Bhausaheb Andhare also forwarded the pictures of some tankers being washed to the police as well as the RTO.

“We have also requested the police to keep an eye on the culprits and take necessary action,” he said.

The officials examined the mangroves in the area and found that no damage has been done to them, so far.

“As it is, the fishing community has been hit hard due to the burial of a series of wetlands and blocking of intertidal flow. The chemical pollution further kills whatever little catch the fishermen get,” BN Kumar, NatConnect Foundation director, said.