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Ready mix plants flouting norms, Bavdhan residents cry foul
Krunal Gharre, a Bavdhan resident who has been actively raising the issue of air pollution in the locality, said that the dust problem has been troubling citizens for over a year. According to him, multiple RMC plants operating in close proximity are contributing significantly to the pollution.
Pune: Residents of Bavdhan have once again raised concerns over severe dust pollution allegedly caused by Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) plants operating in the area. Citizens claim that despite repeated complaints to authorities and assurances from plant representatives, the situation has not improved and the dust emissions continue to affect daily life.
Although Bavdhan does not have an official air quality monitoring station, residents say that readings on private air quality monitoring applications frequently show the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing 300 to 400, indicating hazardous pollution levels.
Krunal Gharre, a Bavdhan resident who has been actively raising the issue of air pollution in the locality, said that the dust problem has been troubling citizens for over a year. According to him, multiple RMC plants operating in close proximity are contributing significantly to the pollution.
“Even though there is no official monitoring station in Bavdhan, several private air quality apps consistently show very high AQI levels. Earlier, we had discussed the issue with representatives of the RMC plants and they had assured us that necessary measures would be taken. However, despite these assurances, the problem continues and residents are facing the same issues again,” said Gharre.
He further stated that there are seven commercial RMC plants operating in Bavdhan, out of which six are located within a cluster while one operates at a separate location. Residents claim that dust generated during the handling of raw materials, vehicle movement and cement mixing often spreads to nearby residential areas.
Over the past year, citizens have repeatedly approached the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) regarding the issue. A public hearing was recently conducted on February 13 with representatives of the RMC plants present.
During the meeting, the regional officer of the pollution control board reportedly directed the RMC operators to implement dust-control measures in accordance with the prescribed environmental guidelines. The plants were given a timeline of 25 days to comply with these directives.
However, residents claim that little has changed on the ground even after the meeting.
“Despite the directives issued during the hearing, no significant action has been taken by the RMC plants. If the issue continues, we are planning to approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT),” Gharre said.
Officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board could not be reached for comment on this issue.
