Action sought against industrial units in Dombivali

Mumbai: A Bhandup resident has filed a petition in the Bombay high court against the illegalities in the Dombivali MIDC. The petition has alleged that an incident similar to the Dombivli boiler blast in 2016 wherein 12 people had died is waiting to happen due to the violation of fire safety norms by industrial units. With residential buildings near the industrial units, the petition has alleged that MIDC just issues notices to the units flouting fire safety norms but does not take any concrete measures thereafter.

According to the petitioner Nandkumar Pawar who has filed the writ petition in the Bombay high court last week through advocate Yashwant Shenoy, three of his sisters live in Dombivli and he visits them regularly. During these visits he noticed that the industrial units in Dombivli MIDC consisting of textile, chemical and engineering are functioning without following any safety norms. The petition states that as a residential area exists in between the two phases of the Dombivli MIDC, in light of the 2016 boiler blast, the effects of which were felt in a radius of five kilometres there is an imminent danger to the lives of those residing there.   

The petition further states that through a Right to Information (RTI) query he was informed that while MIDC authorities had been issuing notices to the industrial units since 2012, the industries were functioning in violation.

In light of the contentions, the petition has prayed for directions to MIDC inspect the units and submit a report within three months to the court as well as shut down all units that are operating without completion certificates or clearances from the different State Agencies. The petition has also sought the report of the 2016 blast and to identify officers who continue to issue notices without taking any action in accordance with the law that allowed these companies to operate illegally for all these years putting to threat the lives of people.