Badlapur, November 13, 2026: In an unusual protest against the worsening pollution of the Ulhas River, workers of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) carried baskets of dead fish to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) office and dumped them directly on the officials’ table on Friday.
Angered by the alleged inaction of authorities despite thousands of fish dying in the river, party workers warned that officials would next be forced to bathe in the same foul-smelling, chemically contaminated water if immediate action was not taken.
Industries Accused Of Polluting River
The protest was led by NCP(SP) workers, who accused industries operating in the Badlapur and Ambernath Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas of discharging chemical-laced wastewater into the Ulhas River.
They alleged that industrial effluents were responsible for the large-scale deaths of fish and that the authorities had failed to take effective steps to stop the pollution.
The protesters reached the Pollution Control Board's office carrying dead fish collected from the river. However, no officials were present at the office at the time.
Frustrated by their absence, the workers placed the basket containing the dead fish on the officials' table as a symbolic protest, seeking to draw attention to what they described as the administration's indifference towards a serious environmental crisis.
According to the party, dead fish have been found floating in large numbers in the river over the past four to five days. Despite the alarming situation, neither the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board nor the Water Resources Department has taken any concrete action to identify the source of contamination and prevent further damage, the party alleged.
River Pollution Raises Water Safety Concerns
The issue has wider implications as the Ulhas River is a major source of water supply for Ulhasnagar, Ambernath and Badlapur. The alleged discharge of untreated industrial wastewater into the river has therefore raised concerns not only about aquatic life but also about the safety of water resources on which thousands of residents depend.
"Today, we have placed dead fish on the officials' table. If no action is taken, tomorrow we will bathe the officials with the same foul-smelling, chemically contaminated water from the river," party leaders warned.
Party Issues Two-Day Ultimatum
Avinash Deshmukh, state general secretary of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), said the party would intensify its agitation if the authorities failed to act within two days.
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The party has demanded immediate intervention to stop the alleged discharge of industrial waste and action against those responsible. The administration's response to the two-day ultimatum remains awaited.
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