BIDAR: Rural Development and District in-charge Minister Eshwar Khandre has ordered the closure of four factories that were releasing poisonous effluents into the Guruganga river following Public TV’s report on industries in Humnabad releasing toxic chemicals into the river.
Minister Khandre said, “Industries in Humnabad are releasing toxic waste into the Guruganga river without treatment, and this has become a danger for people in six villages here. Public TV did a series of news reports on this and taking it into consideration, and in the interest of public health, I have ordered the closure of such chemical factories. I have already ordered the immediate closure of those four factories that were releasing toxic chemicals into the river. If any factory in the industrial area violates the Water Act or Air Pollution Act, we will take the strictest legal action.
“Earlier, when I was Environment Minister, I had closed all such factories. I am taking this very seriously and will take legal action against whoever is responsible. The government will also take action. The government has already acted, so people of the villages need not worry. I request people to call off the massive protest planned to block the highway”.
On Tuesday, the Bidar-Kalaburagi state highway was blocked, resulting in a 1.5-km-long traffic jam. Passengers, people and women were stranded in the traffic and many got off transport buses and walked to their villages. Traffic was blocked for 1.5 km from the Humnabad RTO office towards Kalaburagi.
Residents of six villages had blocked the Mumbai-Hyderabad National Highway-9 and staged protest. More than 3,000 people from Manikya Nagar, Molakera, Gadavanti, Hudagi and 6 other villages took part in the protest. Thousands of people from the six villages are suffering from skin diseases, asthma, allergies and other infectious diseases. They are demanding a complete shutdown of chemical factories. Former Minister Rajshekhar Patil and MLCs Chandrashekhar Patil and Bhimrao Patil also participated in the protest.
