Chandrapur thermal plant officials booked for pollution of Irai river

The action was after directions from State finance Minister and Chandrapur BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar.

Chandrapur Police have registered a criminal offence against “concerned in-charge officials” of Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS) for “negligent act with a potential to cause damage to human life” in connection with the pollution of the Irai river stream passing through Chandrapur city.

An FIR to the effect was lodged by the police on Friday, following a complaint by the environmental NGO, Green Planet. Section 136 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 108 and 117 of the Bombay Police Act were invoked.
The action was after directions from State finance Minister and Chandrapur BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar. “Some people had come to us with a complaint that the stream was appearing reddish near Datala bridge. We checked and found it to be true. Suresh Chopne and Yogesh Dudhpachare of Green Planet and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) regional officials carried out an investigation and found the source of the pollution was the Ranvendli nullah, close to the coalyard of CSTPS,” said activist Bandu Dhotre, who also runs environmental NGO Eco-pro.

He said, “We brought the matter to Mungantiwar’s notice. The minister visited the spot and found the water was reddish. He immediately directed the police to take action against the CSTPS officials.”

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“We have sent samples of the water to a forensic laboratory. The MPCB, too, is doing its own investigation. After we receive reports from both, we will initiate further action. For now, we have booked the officials concerned for offences under the above sections for negligence with potential to cause harm to human life,” said Sub-Divisional Police Officer Pralhad Giri.

CSTPS chief engineer Raju Burde told The Indian Express, “The said nullah originates in Western Coalfields Limited area in Durgapur and then passes through the CSTPS area. We have made arrangements in the form of a leached tank near our rejected coalyard to collect the water and prevent it from going in to the stream. It seems that the water managed to seep out into the nullah despite the arrangement. We will now build a permanent weir to prevent the seepage.”

MPCB officials couldn’t be reached for their comments.

In earlier cases, action against the polluting firm has been in terms of confiscation of its bank guarantee. This is probably the first time that a criminal offence has been registered, said sources.

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