Hundreds Of Villagers March Against Industrial Pollution In MP’s Meghnagar; Collector Says 5 Factories Shut

On Tuesday, hundreds of villagers gathered at the tehsil office in Meghnagar, Madhya Pradesh, in protest against pollution from nearby industrial facilities. The demonstration, which began at noon, saw men and women carrying placards and chanting slogans for the closure of chemical factories. They had been protesting for over a decade, citing contaminated drinking water, polluted water bodies, and harm to livestock and crops.

The protesters alleged that their repeated complaints had gone unaddressed, fueling their frustration. After a public hearing, the district collector, Yogesh Tukaram Bharsat, met with the demonstrators along with senior officials, including the superintendent of police, Devendra Patidar. The collector acknowledged the protesters' grievances as serious and admitted that the pollution issue had been ongoing for years.

In response to the public pressure, the collector announced that five factories had been shut down in the past two days under the Public Nuisance Act, while eight more units were under scrutiny. He assured the villagers that continued action would be taken against polluting industries.

In addition, the collector announced the formation of a monitoring committee comprising villagers, officials, and public representatives to track pollution levels and report their findings. The memorandum presented by the villagers to the collector listed 21 industrial units responsible for the pollution, demanding measures such as drinking water supply, crop and soil surveys, and stricter pollution control regulations.