Mumbai: In a big decision, 156 chemical industrial units from the Dombivli Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) must be transferred to Patalganga in Raigad Regency.
The decision was taken at the MIDC board meeting led by the Minister of Industry Subhash Desai.
P Anbalgan, Chief Executive Officer, MIDC, said the decision was taken after a series of accidents and high pollution levels in the area.
“Dombivli MIDC was developed in two phases in the 70s and 80s, while residential areas, which were between these two phases, appeared far later.
MIDC consists of textiles, chemistry, techniques and other units,” Anbalgan said.
Following an accident, a survey was carried out together by MIDC, Maharashtra pollution control board and industrial security director.
It was found that around 156 chemical industries were within 50 meters of housing plots.
Anbalgan said that MIDC had identified 100 hectares where he would put infrastructure in Patalganga and shift 156 industries there.
“All of these industrial units appear before the fire safety law and the current plot is too small to install all fire safety steps.
Therefore, the decision to move them,” he added.
He further said that relocation will be completed in two years.
Industrial unit owners can sell plots for housing, commercial or IT units, he added.
However, the decision of the state has been opposed by the affected industry in MIDC dombivli.
Deven Soni, President of the Kalyan-Ambernath Manufacturing Association, said, “The state government does not consider us confident before making such decisions.
We will not shift the industry; we will conflict with the command of the state government.” Furthermore Soni said, “MIDC First come here in Dombivli, the residential area comes later.
This is a MIDC error that allows residential areas by not following the buffer zone.
“He added:” The same thing happened in Ambernath and MIDC Badlapur.
If the government made such a decision, how the industry Will survive in this country? “Residents have welcomed the state government’s decision to move pollution units, but said that it should not only matter the problem and declaration.
Raju Nalavade, an activist struggling against pollution from the industry in MIDC, said, “We welcome the decision and it must be implemented as soon as possible.” Last year, Main Minister Uddhav Thackeray, after visiting Dombivli MIDC, had instructed a survey of industries using harmful chemicals and caused pollution in the area.