PRESS NOTE — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Laboratory testing has confirmed acute toxic contamination ongoing in Ambad, Nashik, where residential borewell water has turned bright yellow, likely due to industrial hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] from the Ambad MIDC.
Local activists Roshan Kedar, Rajesh Pandit, their team and volunteers highlighted the issue and have been consistently following up with residents. Parineeta Dandekar, SANDRP visited the site and got the groundwater the sample tested in an accredited lab.
The analysis reveals hexavalent chromium levels of 50.3 mg/L in the total chromium of 50.5 mg/L: surpassing the Bureau of Indian Standards drinking water allowable limit of 0.05 mg/L by over 1,000 times. The same water contaminates Godavari through a local Nala, at a Kumbha Mela Ghat.
Hexavalent Chromium is Group 1 Human Carcinogen and these levels are Comparable to the one of the worst contaminations affecting groundwater and dependent population. The level of Hexavalent Chromium:
- Exceeds the levels at Hinkley, California (the landmark PG&E[1]/ the Erin Brockovich case) several times
- Matches the toxic zones of Ranipet (Tamil Nadu) and Rania (Kanpur Dehat), where untreated chromium crippled local aquifers.
Devastating Human Toll
Because of low and inconsistent supply of water from the Nashik Municipal Corporation, families here are forced to rely on this polluted water for bathing, washing clothes, and cleaning utensils and are suffering severe, escalating health trauma:
- Chemical Ulcers (Chrome Holes), Rashes & Blisters: Direct contact is burning through the skin, leaving deep, slow-healing lesions. We photographed young children with backs and bodies covered in lesions.
- Young women and children had painful, swollen lymph nodes and chronic illnesses.
- Reproductive Crises: Two women in the affected settlement report suffering spontaneous miscarriages. The number can be higher. The link has to be assessed.
- Working-class families spend nearly half of their monthly income on private medical treatments, alternative accommodation and wound dressings, with no relief in sight.
Regulatory Inaction
Despite repeated complaints on multiple occasions, regulatory response has been dangerously inadequate:
- The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) issued a routine show-cause notice to only a single company on 30 Sept 2026, after media reports of yellow water emerged.
- MPCB neither made its water testing data public nor communicated it to the affected residents, leaving the community in the dark about a lethal chemical hazard.
Toxic Threat to Godavari Ahead of Kumbh Mela
This toxic plume meets the Godavari River through tributaries. With the auspicious Dhvajarohan for the Kumbh Mela scheduled for October 31, the discharge of carcinogens into Godavari represents a massive ecological disaster and an unacceptable health risk for millions of pilgrims.
Immediate Demands Some minimum key immediate steps needed are listed here.
Immediate Alternate Water Supply: Direct the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) and District Collectorate to cap all contaminated borewells and supply guaranteed daily domestic water tankers to the affected community immediately.
Emergency Health Camps: Deploy District Health Department medical teams to conduct free dermatological, pediatric, and obstetric screenings, and provide specialized wound care.
Transparent Industrial Crackdown: MPCB (Maharashtra Pollution Control Board) must make all testing data public and conduct a forensic, cluster-wide inspection of all electroplating, metal finishing, paint and other industries in Ambad MIDC (Maharashtra Industries Development Corporation) to immediately, permanently halt illegal dumping of toxic effluents.
Aquifer Remediation: Hold responsible polluters and the irresponsible governance strictly liable under the Polluter Pays Principle to fund long-term environmental remediation and community healthcare.
Test Godavari River Water MPCB must immediately test the Nandini tributary and Godavari River downstream from the contamination point and see how far the river has been affected and alert all downstream users about this situation.
File FIR and cases against the polluters After immediate testing and investigation, file FIR and cases against the responsible industries, to also declare compensation to the already adversely affected people.
Press Contact:
Roshan Kedar (7709845504), Rajesh Pandit (7304120077), Parineeta Dandekar (9860030742)
[1] Pacific Gas and Electricity Case of California)
