Maharashtra: Scrap dealer booked for illegally storing hazardous industrial waste in Thane's Bhiwandi

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Police in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district has booked a scrap dealer for allegedly storing hazardous industrial waste without permission.

An official of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) lodged a complaint against the scrap dealer, a police official said.

The MPCB official was returning after attending a meeting when he noticed the hazardous industrial waste stored in a godown as well as in an open place at Kausa, he said. "While 15 tonnes of waste was stored in the open ground, five other tonnes of it was kept in the godown," the police official said.

The accused, Mohmmmad Arif Altaf Hussain Khan, had procured the waste and despite knowing very well that it was harmful to humans and hazardous to the environment, he stored it without following the norms, the police said.

An offence under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 336 (rash or negligent act), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease danger­ous to life), 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health) and 284 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance), and under sections of the Environmental Protection Act was registered against the scrap dealer, they said.

Five paan shop owners held for stocking, selling banned tobacco products

Police arrested five paan shop owners for allegedly storing and selling banned tobacco products at their stalls in Thane city of Maharashtra, an official said on Wednesday.

The action against the accused, who operate the shops in Naupada area of the city, was taken following a raid conducted by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), he said.

Also read: Thane: Tree branch falls into Upavan Lake near Ganapati Temple

They were booked under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 273 (selling any noxious food or drink), 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale so as to make the same noxious) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and under various sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act and the FDA regulations.

All the five shops have been sealed by the FDA officials following the recovery of the banned tobacco products worth Rs 31,744.

The accused were identified as Ganashyam Gaudin Patel, Mahesh Sriram Patel, Ramchandra Shyamlal Patel, Omprakash Mohanlal Patel and Kondiram Narayan Pawar, the police said, adding that a probe was on. (With inputs from PTI)