Mulund West

cement dust

breathing ailments

allergies

children

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

mandates

Mihir Kotecha

The plant was served a show-cause notice in November 2019 after the MPCB found that it was transporting cement to several other construction sites

Why haven’t MPCB officials taken action on their own inspection report or the residents’ complaints? BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha

Aaditya Thackeray

A cement mixing plant inhas been threatening the lives of around 5,000 residents for the last six months. Locals say layers ofcover every inch of their homes and have also caused a rise inandamongand the elderly.The(MPCB)a 100-m buffer zone from residential areas and arterial roads, but the ready mix plant is in the close proximity of three housing societies-Vasant Oscar, Marathon Galaxy and Marathon Cosmos.The plant, run by city-based TNA Readymix India Pvt Ltd, was given permission in October last year to manufacture cement for on-site use only for two years. But the MPCB has accused it of violating that clause. It served a show-cause notice to the factory in November last year after having found during an inspection that cement was being transported to several construction sites.It also threatened to disconnect water and power supplies, but that's as far as the MPCB went, alleged residents. They said they had complained to it several times and had also made pleas through local BJP MLA, but the plant is still up and running. "We are breathing cement day in and day out," said Ashwin Mongare, who lives in Marathon Cosmos. He said the constant movement of trucks carrying cement outside has damaged roads.The residents also attributed rising air pollution levels in the area to the plant. Between December 2019 and January, they claimed to have measured pollution levels on their own and found readings ranging from 200 (unhealthy) to 400 (hazardous) on the air quality index. The MPCB inspection report had vaguely mentioned "air pollution problems" in the area.Advocate RB Mahabal, an expert in environmental laws, said ready mix cements plants scatter fine particulate matter, which can settle in the lungs, travel through the bloodstream to the brain and cause brain haemorrhage.Kotecha accused MPCB officials of going soft on TNA Readymix. "Why haven't they taken action on their own inspection report or the residents' complaints? Two months ago, the officials claimed they were short-staffed and so, couldn't pursue the matter. But why haven't they been able to resolve it so far?"Kotecha has now written to Environment Minister, demanding that the plant be shut down.Mirror reached out to TNA Readymix but there was no response.MPCB Regional Officer Anant Harshavardhan could not be reached for a comment.