In the wake of yet another industrial blaze, residents of Dombivli, Mumbai, have intensified their demands for the relocation of hazardous chemical factories from their vicinity. The latest fire, which erupted at Indo Amines on Wednesday morning, has reignited concerns over safety and environmental pollution, prompting urgent calls for government intervention.
The fire at Indo Amines was reported at 10:15 AM, prompting a swift response from multiple fire brigade units from MIDC, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), and Thane Municipal Corporation. The firefighting teams battled the flames for four hours before initiating cooling operations around 2:30 PM. Senior police officials and KDMC Commissioner Indurani Jakhar were on site to assess the situation. Local residents, deeply shaken by the incident, recounted that the smoke from the blaze was visible from as far as 3 kilometres away. This latest fire starkly reminded the community of the devastating blast at Amudan Chemicals on May 23, which resulted in the loss of 12 lives. The persistent threat posed by chemical factories has led residents to reiterate their demands for the relocation of such hazardous operations from the Dombivli MIDC area.
A prominent citizen activist, known for advocating against pollution and industrial accidents in Dombivli, highlighted that this was the third blaze at Indo Amines. The factory had previously been issued a closure notice for non-compliance with safety regulations. The activist stated, “We are now fed up with the rising number of accidents in chemical companies in the city. We want the government to either shift these hazardous chemical companies or relocate residents to a safer area.” In response to the increasing incidents, the state government has taken steps towards addressing the issue. Following the fatal blast at Amudan Chemicals, approximately 33 chemical companies have been served closure notices. Additionally, the authorities have disconnected water and electricity supplies to several factories as part of their crackdown on unsafe industrial practices.
