The district administration of Palghar in Maharashtra has sealed 66 water sources across 16 villages due to contamination, officials said.

The administration said in its release issued on Saturday that the water at these points was unfit for consumption and posed a health risk to the local residents.

The decision to seal these points was taken following the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order passed a few months ago, it said.

The NGT had ordered the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), the district authorities and others to take corrective measures in this regard.

The recommendations by a committee constituted by the NGT were in the form of remedial plan and implementation for restoration of environment in and around TarapurMIDC in the district, the statement said.

Accordingly, the health department conducted a survey of 16 villages in Tarapur MIDC area. These villages include Tarapur, Kambode, Givli, Dandi, Uccheli, Murbe, Alewadi, Tembi Navapur, Satpati, Kharekuran, Shirgaon, Mahim, Vadrai, Kelva and Dadrapada.

Water samples were collected from 86 public and 535 private sources of water in 16 villages, the release said.

Of them, five public and 61 private sources of water were found to be polluted and its water was unfit for consumption, it said.

The district authorities have ordered that display boards be put up at the points to instruct people that they should not consume water from there.

The district health officials said that those suffering from health ailments due to consumption of polluted water from these points, will be given treatment, the statement said.

Disclaimer: This story has not been edited by Water Today staff and is generated from news feeds. Source: PTI