Bhiwandi, Maharashtra — Nizampura police on Thursday registered a case against four persons after foul‑smelling, black‑coloured chemical waste was allegedly discharged into a public nullah at Kambe in Bhiwandi, creating a nuisance and potential health hazard for nearby residents, a police complaint reported.
Incident and immediate response
According to the complaint cited in local media reports, the dumping took place at about 2.30am on Wednesday near Kumarpada Compound on Bhiwandi‑Kambe Road. The accused are said to have emptied the contents of a chemical tanker into an open drain instead of using an authorised disposal facility or obtaining the required permission.
Police identified the tanker driver as 30‑year‑old Laxman Shyamlal Chavan. The other three persons named in the case are Shah Nawaz Siraj Ahmed Momin, Premnath Bagal and Jayram Jaiswal, the report said. All four have been booked on allegations of creating a public nuisance and endangering public safety by illegally dumping chemical waste.
“The accused allegedly discharged black chemical waste into the nullah without having the required permission or an authorised facility for disposal,” the complaint reported.
Local impact and concerns
Residents in the Kambe area expressed alarm over the foul smell and the visible contamination of the open nullah, which drains into local waterways. In low‑lying and densely populated pockets of Bhiwandi, such discharges can cause immediate odour nuisance, contaminate ground water, and attract vectors that spread disease.
Open drains are already a persistent civic problem in parts of Bhiwandi taluka, particularly during the monsoon, when blocked or polluted nullahs aggravate flooding and public‑health risks. Environmental and sanitation experts say illegal disposal of industrial and chemical waste into open drains can also corrode infrastructure and pose long‑term remediation costs for municipal agencies.
Legal action and next steps
Nizampura police registered the case under provisions related to causing public nuisance and creating danger to persons. The complaint did not specify whether further environmental or municipal authorities — such as the Bhiwandi‑Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) or the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) — had been formally notified, though such agencies are normally involved in investigations of hazardous waste disposal.
Police have yet to report arrests or any recovery of documentation showing where the chemical load originated or whether the tanker belonged to a licensed hazardous‑waste transporter. The complaint alleges the waste was discharged in the absence of an authorised disposal mechanism or permission.
Officials at the BNMC and MPCB were not quoted in the report; their intervention would typically include sampling the effluent, identifying the chemical hazard, cleaning the affected drain, and issuing show‑cause notices to the transporter or generator if traced.
- Date and time: Around 2.30am on Wednesday
- Location: Nullah near Kumarpada Compound, Bhiwandi‑Kambe Road
- Accused: Laxman S. Chavan (driver, 30), Shah N. S. A. Momin, Premnath Bagal, Jayram Jaiswal
- Charges: Causing public nuisance and creating danger by illegal disposal of chemical waste
| Accused | Role / Details | Allegation |
|---|---|---|
| Laxman Shyamlal Chavan | Driver, aged 30 | Allegedly emptied tanker into nullah |
| Shah Nawaz Siraj Ahmed Momin | Named in complaint | Involved in illegal disposal |
| Premnath Bagal | Named in complaint | Involved in illegal disposal |
| Jayram Jaiswal | Named in complaint | Involved in illegal disposal |
The case highlights ongoing enforcement challenges around hazardous waste management in industrial and peri‑urban pockets of Thane district. Bhiwandi, home to large textile and small manufacturing units, has seen periodic enforcement drives for unauthorised dumping and effluent violations.
Local residents and civic activists said prompt action by police and civic agencies is needed to identify the chemical, prevent further contamination and hold accountable any firms or transporters that flout disposal rules. Police said the investigation is ongoing, according to the report.
