Shift polluting industries from residential zones: Thackeray

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said polluting industries located in residential zones in Dombivili Thane district will be shifted to another place. For this, Thackeray said, he has given 15 days to officials to locate the new place where these polluting industrial units are to be shifted.

The CM was in Kalyan, where he held a meeting with officials of various departments, including the civic corporation, MIDC, MPCB (Maharashtra Pollution Control Board), and gave the direction for shifting the polluting units.

There have been complaints from local residents that waste chemicals from industries in Dombivili spill onto the roads and cause pollution. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Thackeray said he has asked officials to carry out a study and inspect the industries located in residential zones.

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He also asked MPCB officials to carry out inspection of factories located in the industrial zone of Dombivili, a distant suburb of Mumbai located in Thane district. Hazardous factories should undertake safety measures a per the MPCB directives to curb pollution, Thackeray said.

Such units located in residential zones, where they cause health problems to people, should be shifted to far off places, he said. Thackeray underlined the need for a policy to deal with old and scrapped cars parked in several places in cities and towns.

He said another problem being faced by industrial and residential areas is old and damaged pipelines of chemical waste which come out on the roads and cause pollution. The CM asked officials to carry out inspection of such pipelines and replace them.

Thackeray said the civic commissioner should look into the issue of improving the condition of roads.

The civic chief should prioritise and carry out road work wherever required, he said and announced sanctioning a sum of Rs 100 crore for the purpose.

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