Summary A private company had been releasing blue dye into the air and river water. Photo: Arati.C.Facebook
(Web Desk) - The state pollution control board and other concerned authorities in a joint operation have shut down the Mumbai based private company that was responsible for releasing untreated industrial waste and dyes into the Kasadi river that resulted in 11 dogs turning blue in Taloja.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, local activists filed a complaint with the pollution control board after the dogs that had mysteriously turned blue were first spotted by the residents earlier in August. The investigation carried out by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) later helped discover that a private company was releasing blue dye into the river water as well as air.
Officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) have said that a closure notice was issued on Friday night and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has been asked to cut water supply to the firm.
One of the blue-coloured canines. Photo: Hindustan Times
Anil Mohekar, regional officer MPCB New Mumbai said that there are a set of norms that every industry needs to follow.
“After our sub-regional officers confirmed media reports that dogs were indeed turning blue due to air and water pollution, we conducted a detailed survey at the plant and once our team found out that none of the directions under the ‘Control of Water and Air Pollution Acts’ of 1974 and 1981 were being followed by the private company, closure directions were issued immediately.”
He further told that it was Ducol Organics Pvt Ltd. that was harming animals and birds in the area. Adding to it he said, “We will ensure that the plant does not function from the coming week and the decision sets an example for other polluting industries, which may not be following pollution abatement measures”.
According to MPCB, the fur of five dogs from the industrial area had turned blue. Veterinarians from a hospital examined all five dogs and admitted one of them to the hospital for pathology tests. A blood report revealed that the dog was healthy, did not have any infection and the blue dye was water soluble.
There are hundreds of factories along the bank of the Kasadi river. According to the data obtained by Watchdog Foundation – an NGO working for the welfare of animals, there are 977 chemical, pharmaceutical, engineering and food processing factories in the Taloja industrial area, located outside Mumbai.
