Coal Drives Police Crazy

Afternoon Voice

Residents of Sewri are facing many problems with a coal storage facility in sewri storage area near Ray Road station. But this time many Police officials who reside there are suffering through the same problems have asked AV for help, on the condition of annonymity. The local resident’s of Makani Court, R.K apartment. Nazneen Court are in a hazardous condition and live in an ultiamte pollution for more than a year. Behind which residents of Police Colony A, B, & C where more than 100 families of Police officials from various department’s who stay, have filed several complaints again a coal storage facility. This coal storage is located just in front of Sujala Hotel Sewri, which is an open to air storage of M/s Pallonji and company. In which coal are been stored daily and is also transported daily to Tata Power and MSEB to generate electricity, this open to air coal storage had become the main reason of inconvenience to the people who reside there. When these coals are been carried out daily in a dumper from the road which is full of potholes, then the road is full of minute dust particles of carbon. According to traffic law these coal has to be carried out in a dumper which must be closed, but the drivers don't follow the rule. A narrow end of Signal Hill Avenue Road where driver’s carry coal everyday is in a bad condition, and to avoid dust the slum-dwellers spread water on the road which has become a reason of bike accidents in another way.

This is not the only problem of the families of Police officials are facing everyday. At least one person from their family is suffering through respiratory diseases like asthma, allergy and suffocation. To avoid dust particles they have to close their windows due to which they all suffocate and breath. 

It has been more than two years where these Police officials have filed several complaints to the Pollution Ministry of India and to the Mumbai Port Trust, but have never received any positive response from their side. Also the residents are always in a fear of truck drivers who drive rashly in this Bombay Port Trust Area, from where their kids have to pass everyday to go to school. Also these Police Colonies are facing water shortage since six months and after complaining BMC their problem is not resolved yet. The Lift of these colonies is not working since years where officers of different age groups and their family members had to use staircases for fifth floor everyday no matter even if they suffer through heart disease. Many Police officers came in front to help our AV team but have requested us to do not print their name. One Senior constable said that “BPT and BMC has failed to fulfill our basic needs and has requested to shift whole resident’s at a location which is a healthy residential colony where our children and families are safe” also he added that “how we can give our best efforts on duty when we have lost comfort at our home”.

When we AV team called Mangesh Bhonsade corporator of sewri was unavailable for the comment. Dr Shreeram Bhosle a veteran physician said that “when someone continuously breaths under the dust of coal may suffer through many respiratory disorder which includes, asthma, lungs disorder, bloods in cough, weaknesses and may finally lead to heart diseses.