Sludge and cement dust outside the RMC plant. | FPJ
Residents of Govandi, which faces severe air pollution issues, with the Deonar garbage dump and waste processing facilities in its vicinity, have complained about dust and slurry from two concrete mixing plants in the area.
A community group has filed complaints with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s M-East Ward, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, informing the agencies about the concrete plants on Deonar Road and Deonar Municipal Colony.
Abid Abbas Sayyed, the lawyer representing Al Abbas Charitable Foundation, said they have issued a final reminder regarding the legal notice issued to the companies running the concrete plants on February 27. The notice highlights the non-compliance with environmental norms by the Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants in and violations of MPCB directives.
A representative of RDC Concrete, which runs one of the plants, said that they are complying with pollution control norms. The representative asked for more time for a detailed comment, but did not get back despite reminders.
Farhan Khan, a resident of the area, said that a layer of cement dust covers the road. “When we drive on the road, the dust raised by the vehicle chokes us. When we complain to the municipal office, they come and spray some water. The plants are still there,” said Khan. “The elderly suffer the most from the dust. During the rains, the dust turns into sludge and the road becomes slippery.”
Residents have said if the plants do not comply with pollution control norms, they will initiate legal proceedings before the Bombay High Court. They have sought a reply to the legal notice issued in February.
Sayyed said that health surveys of the area have revealed that the area has some of the lowest life expectancy in the city. Earlier this month, residents of the area complained about plans to set up a waste-to-energy plant. The area also has a bio-medical waste incernator. Residents said that the Air Quality Index in the area is consistently worse than the average for the city.
