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The background
The presently defunct Golden
Chemicals Ltd. was once the
largest manufacturer of Bichromates in the country and was functioning
here since early 40s. It had severely polluted the ground water
and soil around with highly carcinogenic hexavalent chromium, a toxic
legacy left behind by the Golden Chemicals for the people of this area
and their future generations. The dumping practice is in blatant
violation of the Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules,
1989.
Despite informing the authorities concerned (Maharashtra Pollution Control Board) with specific suggestions to curb the public health risk from the polluted ground water more than a month back, the situation has not become any better (Our letter to MPCB is appended for your ready reference). We have analysed the golden yellow coloured water samples obtained from the area in the MPCB Lab at Belapur which indicated 2.5ppm of hexavanent Chromium (see the scaned image of the result attached (Lab report_Dahisar.jpg)). The maximum permissible concentration of hexavalent chromium in potable water being 0.01 ppm [WHO, 1970] the concentration in Dahisar water was 50 times higher than the maximum available limit in the water.
There is every likelihood of
a Hema Chemicals (Vadodara) episode (Where a recent Supreme
court panel's order ordered a similar chemical
unit at vadodare to pick up Rs 17-cr tab for removal of the waste
dumped by them) repeting itself here. Since the chemical involved is
the same, the case is analogous to that of the well known Hema
Chemicals case. Most of the workers have symptoms of severe
occupational exposure to Chromium such as nasal septum perforation,
ulceration and dermatitis. The Dahisar case is
likely to be more severe because of two major reasons. 1) The Golden chemical has a much longer history of existence than Hema (Golden started in 1941 itself, while Hema started operations in 1979). 2) The quantum of chemicals Golden Chemicals that the Golden Chemical was dealing with, was much higher (According to the company, they were the largest manufacturers of chromium Chemicals in India with a production of 15000 tpa). Moreover, the company is defunct for last several months for reasons unknown, even to the workers of the company !! (The most likely reason, could be that it was afraid of facing a similar penalty as that of Hema Chemicals). The workers are not even paid any compensation and are kept in dark by the company authorities. Hence, there is every chance to believe that the situation can only be worser at Dahisar, than Vadodara and it is only a matter of time before it comes out in to open. It is our duty to fasten that process in the the larger interest of the public health and environmental rights of the people. |
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View of the outlet of Cr Contaminated Water into the Roadside drainage |
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View of the bright yellow coloured water laced with deadly hexavalent Chromium stagnating along the road side drains at Dahisar in front of Golden Chemicals Chrome factory |
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Another View of the lethal yellow decoction of the hazardously toxic and carcinogenic water in a road side puddle at Dahisar |
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More from 15th Jan meeting at Dahisar
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