LPG-like odour forces Dombivli residents to cover their noses

KALYAN: For the last three days, residents of Dombivli, the second-highest polluted city in the state, have been keeping their noses covered as an LPG-like odour from the MIDC area has enveloped the area. While a few have complained of throat infection, others are suffering breathing problems.
Residents complained to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, which set up a team to look into the matter, but the source of the odour is yet to be identified.“The smell gets stronger in the evenings, forcing us to keep our doors and windows shut,” said Sachin Shelar, who lives in Milap Nagar. Regency Estate resident Vaibhav Kulkarni and his son, Vishal, have been suffering from throat infection.
For several years, Dombivli residents have been demanding to shift MIDC to another site as there have been many cases of gas and chemical leakage from factories. Two months ago, the area had witnessed green rain.
“When I got complaints from Gograswadi, Ahire Road and Agarkar Road about an LPG-like odour, I asked MPCB officials to check if any company was releasing some gas or chemical in the water. They are yet to identify the odour,” said Rajesh Kadam, a local MNS leader.
“We are checking the areas...but have not been able to ascertain the presence of any chemical or gas in the air. However, we can’t rule out that there is no smell,” said Nitin Shinde, an official from the Kalyan MPCB unit.