Marathwada small industry and agri body seeks common hazardous waste treatment & disposal facility

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture has demanded the establishment of a Common Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility for industries in the region, citing growing environmental and safety concerns due to fragmented waste management practices.The demand was raised during a joint meeting with Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) officials on Tuesday, where Gajanan Deshmukh, the president of Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture (MASSIA) said a centralised facility is urgently needed to manage industrial waste efficiently."The industrial hub of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has multiple generators of hazardous waste of different form. A common facility will deal with such waste and can effectively protect human health and the environment," he said.Alongside the key demand, industry representatives highlighted several long-pending infrastructure issues within MIDC estates. "The infrastructure within industrial estates needs to be improved. Official attention is needed towards the poor condition of roads, inadequate pressure of water supply, street lighting and drainage systems," Deshmukh said.MASSIA members also flagged the issue of encroachments on MIDC land, particularly on open plots and roadsides, where unauthorised commercial activities are allegedly taking place. These include the sale of liquor, meat, fruits and vegetables within industrial zones."These encroachments not only obstruct traffic flow but also pose a significant safety risk to the workers, employees, and women working in the nearby companies," said MASSIA's past president Arjun Gaikwad.The meeting further discussed the need for acquiring land for a service road to ease congestion on the Pune-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar route, a key industrial corridor.Responding to the concerns, MIDC officials assured action. "MIDC chief engineer Balasaheb Zhanje and executive engineer Ravindra Giri assured us that the pressing issues would be resolved on a priority basis and that necessary action would be taken. It is also decided to hold regular meetings to avoid the communication gap," Deshmukh said.Industry representatives said they expect time-bound action on the issues raised, particularly the hazardous waste facility, which they termed critical for sustainable industrial growth in the region.