Clip shows ‘black’ water from borewell in MP town; officials collect samples

Dhar: Amid apprehensions by locals over the proposed disposal of 337 tonnes of Union Carbide waste in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district, a video purportedly showing a borewell discharging “black” water surfaced on social media.

To dispel any fear, the district administration visited the area near Pithampur town, about 30 km from Indore, where the waste has been brought for disposal, an official said on Wednesday.

Ajay Kumar Mishra, an official of the MP Pollution Control Board, said when they checked the borewell located in an agricultural field in Sagor, adjoining Pithampur, it discharged clean water.

However, water samples from the borewell and nearby nullah have been collected, he said.

Mishra said he would be able to comment on the other parameters of water quality only after receiving the laboratory test results.

Ankit Khotan, who owns the borewell, said officials have collected water samples.

The farmer said his borewell was discharging “black” water when he operated the motor after a gap of 2-3 days, claiming that the water was damaging his crop and was not consumable.