Chemical water kills Nine buffaloes in Hazira, Residents Enraged

Surat: Residents in Kawas are filled with anger and grief following the tragic deaths of nine buffaloes that succumbed to toxic chemical water from a stream in Limla village, located in Surat’s Choriyasi taluka.

The incident has prompted swift action, with the Hazira Kantha Vistar Vikas Sahkari Mandli Ltd filing a formal complaint with the Surat District Collector and the regional chairman of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) regarding the release of ammonia-like toxic chemicals into the stream, which flows into the Tapi River jetty from Kawas in Choriyasi taluka.

Cattle farmers in the area are devastated by the sudden loss of their valuable livestock, with some of the buffaloes found dead inside the contaminated stream water.

Dipak Patel, President of Hazira Kantha Mandli Limited, expressed his condolences, saying, “It is an unfortunate incident where nine buffaloes have been killed after drinking ammonia-like toxic chemical water from the stream. It is our first impression that this chemical water may have been released illegally by the KRIBHCO company, which is located just a few miles away from the spot.”

According to Patel, the polluting units in Hazira have gained notoriety for frequently discharging toxic water into open streams. In the past, there have been sporadic incidents of cattle deaths due to drinking stream water contaminated by industrial effluents. Additionally, several birds have also been discovered dead in the vicinity due to water pollution.

The situation has raised concerns among local residents who fear for the safety of their livestock and the overall environmental impact of these incidents. The Hazira Kantha Vistar Vikas Sahkari Mandli Ltd has demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and stricter measures to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.

A GPCB officer said, “We have assured the residents of swift action and a comprehensive investigation into the release of toxic chemicals into the stream. The autopsy of the buffaloes will be done to find out the presence of toxic chemicals”