MPCB Issues Closure Notices To 29 Bhiwandi Textile Units

The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued closure notices to 29 textile units in Bhiwandi, including 22 sizing units and seven dyeing units. This action is part of a crackdown on pollution in the city, which has been a concern despite intensified enforcement.

The Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) and the MPCB have stepped up action against polluting textile units, construction sites, and wood-fired bakeries. The MPCB's Kalyan office has served notices to 192 construction projects to enforce dust-control measures.

The BNCMC's licence department had also issued notices to 32 wood-fired bakeries, directing them to switch to piped natural gas (PNG) or electric ovens within one month. The deadline has now expired, and the civic administration will need to establish whether the bakeries have complied with the directive.

The civic body is implementing several measures to control pollution, including deep cleaning roads and washing RCC roads and flyovers using water from high-pressure treatment (HTP) plants. Sweeping machines are being deployed on major roads to remove fine dust particles.

A social activist has alleged that the municipal corporation itself is contributing to pollution by dumping construction debris at Parshuram Taware Stadium. The civic body has responded that it will seek detailed information from the concerned department.

The effectiveness of the enforcement drive will depend on follow-up inspections and action against violators. For residents, the key test will be whether these measures lead to a tangible improvement in Bhiwandi's air quality.