To curb the water pollution in Thane district – especially in Dombivali, Ambernath and Badlapur industrial areas – the Thane city Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Dr Shrikant Paropkari ordered a ban on entry of all types of tankers to the area from March 15 to May 13, 2023.
According to Paropkari the injunction was issued because dangerous chemicals were being transported by tankers in Dombivali, Ambernath and Badlapur industrial areas between 6pm and 6am. “The river water gets polluted and this poses a threat to the health of the citizens and also affects the biodiversity in the river. As a result, all types of tanker traffic have been banned during the period,” said Paropkari.
Ambernath-based social activist Satyajit Burman said the initiative is welcome. “Earlier too the Thane Police Commissioner Jai Jeet Singh took the initiative to ban the tankers transporting dangerous chemicals to Dombivali, Ambernath and Badlapur MIDC areas from 6pm to 6am as some tankers would discharge the chemicals in the river body and pollute it,” Burman said.
According to Burman, a special squad was formed including the local police, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) officials and MIDC officials. However, only the police were discharging their duty while the other two bodies did not show any interest. “The MPCB is in hand-in-glove with the tanker mafia who are releasing dangerous chemicals into water bodies,” he alleged.
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