Villagers stage 'Rasta Roko' against chemical company

Nashik, Sep 5 (UNI) Residents of Rasegaon village in Dindori taluka of the district today held demonstration and staged ''Rasta Roko'' on Nashik-Peth Road to protest against the alleged attempts to restart a chemical company in the area.

According to sources, Spectrum Ethers Limited, a chemical company in the area was responsible for pollution of water in nearby Palkhed dam recently, rendering it unfit for consumption. Following which the district administration cut off water supply to nearly 20 villages in the area as a precautionary measure.

According to the reports of the Pollution Control Laboratory in Mumbai and Pune, a chemical substance Organophosperic Pesticide was found in the water below detection level (0.001 PPM). On behalf of the district administration, a notice was issued by Nashik Sub-Judicial Magistrate to the Company under section 133 of CrPC for public nuisance.

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) also issued notice to close the company. Following the stoppage of electricity supply by Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB), as per a direction, the production was halted on August 23, sources said.

The villagers alleged that despite this attempts to restart the company were made today after they spotted a vehicle carrying some workers to the Company. The villagers stopped the vehicle, police intervened and arrested some villagers.

In protest of this, the villgers came to the streets and started demonstrations and ''Rasto Roko''. They also denied entry to any political leader in the village. Residents of nearby villages are also ready to join the agitation.

Police had resorted to mild lathicharge to control the mob, sources said.

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