Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A police station incharge from Indore district in Madhya Pradesh was removed from field duty for alleged negligence in investigating the dumping of industrial waste consisting of harmful chemicals in the Ajnar river, a senior officer said on Wednesday.
"Manpur police station in-charge Hitendra Singh Rathore has been removed from his post and shifted to police lines for his alleged negligence with immediate effect," superintendent of police Mahesh Chandra Jain said.
Jain said Mhow additional superintendent of police has been directed to probe the negligence and submit a report within seven days. According to officials, the dumping of industrial waste in the Ajnar river has been going on for a long time, resulting into its water getting polluted and even the underground water in the vicinity being affected.
An FIR was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Environment Protection Act. A detailed investigation is underway to find out the source (factories) of this harmful chemical waste, they said.
The officials also said that a private solid waste disposal firm is being engaged to make the Ajnar river, situated about 25 km away from here, pollution free.
Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar had led a protest rally on Sunday from Foottalab village to Manpur police station demanding the arrest of those responsible for the river pollution.
The river is the main source of drinking and irrigation water for the citizens including tribals of 50 villages of Indore, Dhar and Khargone and the river's polluted water is affecting their and their domestic animals' lives, she had said.
