The Ulhas river, which supplies drinking water to around 45 lakh people in Thane, Ulhasnagar, Kalyan-Dombivali and parts of the Navi Mumbai, has got polluted again due to untreated sewage water flowing into the river.
Earlier, the pollution prompted the citizens of Ulhasnagar and Kalyan to clean the river themselves. Now they have resumed the drive. Kalyan taluka has four perennial rivers namely Ulhas, Barvi, Kalu and Bhatsa.
Hundreds of gram panchayats and various municipal corporations of Kalyan taluka depend on Ulhas for water.
The last few years have seen the river getting immensely polluted. At Badlapur, Karjat, Ambernath, and Kalyan, untreated water from farmhouses, buildings, chemical plants, stables, urban sewage and drainage lines, flows directly into the river, thus increasing the pollution.
Protests in vain against pollution
Sashikant Dayama, a social activist from Ulhasnagar said, “Earlier, the Ulhas River Rescue Action Committee and many other social organisations protested against the increasing pollution and complaints were filed with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board(MPCB). However, it ended only after activists from various NGOs got together”.
However, Mr Dayama said the situation is the same now as hyacinths have started accumulating near Nayatharpada Kambagaon motor pump house again. “We will again carry out an independent drive,” he said.
Satyajit Burman, a social activist from Ambernath said, “The complaints about water pollution are falling on deaf years. The officials do their work for a few days and leave the river as it is. Now NGOs have decided to join hands.”
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