Chemical waste leak contaminates water in Barwani village

Barwani: Residents of Takli village under Valjiri Panchayat in Pansemal subdivision have reported that water from several borewells and wells in the area has been chemically contaminated, damaging crops and forcing villagers to travel to distant locations for drinking water.Following the complaints, District Panchayat CEO Kajal Jawla directed PHE department's executive engineer to inspect the site. A five-member team visited the village on Saturday and conducted a preliminary investigation.PHE executive engineer RS Bamaniya told TOI that initial findings suggested leakage of chemical waste from a nearby fertiliser factory may have led to the contamination. Water samples have been collected and sent for laboratory analysis, with the report to be submitted to District Panchayat CEO.Pansemal SDM Ramesh Sisodiya said similar complaints had been received earlier, following which the factory owner and manager were instructed to remove the chemical waste and a police case was registered against them.Factory owner Ravindra Chaudhary told TOI that he would get the dumped material removed soon and was giving a letter to officials. "Due to a technical glitch, the material was not allowed to be removed by the department of agriculture, and such a situation occurred," he said.