Congress leaders along with residents of Parab village in Surat have complained to district collector Ayush Oak and Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) officials about untreated waste being discharged from textile mills into the Kadodara creek in Kamrej.

Parab village in Kamrej taluka of the district, which has a population of 2,000 people, has witnessed such untreated waste discharge into the creek for a long time, and the villagers have been knocking on the door of every government department seeking action.

Darshan Naik, former leader of the Opposition in the Surat district panchayat, led the delegation that met the officials. “Textile factories in Parab village have been discharging untreated waste into the creek on for a long time. We have complained about this to the GPCB, district collector, and labour department officials. The industrial units have violated pollution norms,” he said.

A resident, Paresh Desai (60), told The Indian Express, “There are over four dyeing and printing mills and over hundreds of water jet factories in the industrial area near the village. These factories discharge untreated liquid waste through drainage lines directly to the Kadodara creek. The creek water finally reaches the Mindola river. We have complained about this to the factories but they have not taken any steps. We have complained about this to the GPCB office in Surat multiple times but no actions have been taken. When GPCB officials visit for inspection, the factories get prior information and remain shut. A few others remain operational but discharge normal water into the creek. We have also shared this information with GPCB officials.”

Jigna Oza, Surat regional officer of the GPCB, said, “We will secretly send teams to the spot on the basis of the information we have got. We will see which companies are violating pollution norms.”

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