Residents say illegal RMC plants major cause of pollution : Hindustan Times

MORE THAN 150 RESIDENTS OF DAHISAR (EAST) AND MALADMARVE ROAD STAGED A SILENT PROTEST OUTSIDE THE MPCB OFFICE IN SION

MUMBAI: More than 150 adults and children, residents of Dahisar (East) and Malad-Marve Road staged a silent protest outside the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s (MPCB) office in Sion on Friday against illegal ready-mix-concrete (RMC) plants belonging to private companies that caused air and noise pollution in the area.

Children were seen holding placards that read, ‘cement pollution kills slowly’. The placard had images and slogans describing how families in the area were experiencing health problems owing to the RMC plants.

Representatives from the residents’ welfare associations from the two areas, along with members of non-governmental organisation Watchdog Foundation, presented a bag to officials of MPCB that contained the dust collected from outside the RMC plant located at Dahisar (East).

“We wanted the MPCB officials to know that the plants continuously generate very high respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM)- tiny particles can be inhaled into the lungs - and suspended particulate matter beyond permissible limits and had been all flouting various norms under the Air and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,” said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee, Watchdog foundation.

A senior official from MPCB told HT that they were upset and affected by the residents’ protest, as they were not given even 10 days to investigate the matter. “We received the complaint on August 21 and the residents should have given us time to issue show-cause notices to the plant. After seeing requisite documents, if we find a pollution problem, we would be taking action immediately,” said the official.

HT had reported on July 19 that three RMC plants on Malad Marve Road received closure notices from MPCB on July 8 after receving a complaint on June 25 this year. One of the plants was dismantled soon after while the other two have halted all work at the site. However, residents of the area are worried, as two RMC plants have planned to restart at the site.

Local doctors from the area told HT that there had been a gradual increase in the number of cases regarding respiratory diseases, cough and cold in the area over the past year.