Rohit Pawar flags PFAS risk at Ratnagiri plant, targets Italian machinery

The machinery of a chemical plant recently set up in Maharashtras Ratnagiri district was procured from a controversial Italian firm linked to health hazards caused by PFAS chemicals and it is now emitting the same compounds NCP SP MLA Rohit Pawar has claimedState industries minister Uday Samant however said the chemicals in question are not being produced at the plant set up by Lakshmi Organic Chemicals in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation MIDC area at Lote Parashuram 225 km south of Mumbai reported PTIIn a post on X Pawar claimed that PFAS chemicals released by Italian company Miteni had contaminated a reservoir affecting over 3 lakh people in the Vicenza area in the European nation Miteni PFAS 3 4000 hellip pictwittercomSTph82KdMtmdash Rohit Pawar RRPSpeaks December 23 2025The citizens there protested and forced the shutdown of the company The same machinery from that shutdown company was purchased by Lakshmi Organic and installed in Ratnagiri MIDC Harmful PFAS are being emitted from this plant Pawar allegedHe questioned why permission was granted to such a hazardous industry especially when India does not have specific laws regulating PFAS chemicalsPFAS per and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial processes and are known for their persistence in the environment and potential links to cancer and other health disordersSpeaking to a news channel industries minister Samant who is also the guardian minister of the coastal district said he would not allow any hazardous project to come up in the Konkan region reported PTIHe sought information from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board MPCB after reading media reports and was informed that the contentious chemical has not be manufactured at the plant so far the Shiv Sena leader saidWe are verifying whether the machinery procured from an Italybased firm had necessary clearances from the MPCB Samant added reported PTIThe MPCB had issued a notice to the company following media reports he saidRohit Pawar alleges BJP sidelining allies flags cracks within MahayutiEarlier Rohit Pawar launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP claiming that recent statements made by leaders within the Mahayuti alliance during the municipal council elections have exposed growing internal discordPawar said the remarks indicated that political decisions were being driven by narrow selfinterest adding that the BJP had begun ldquorevealing its true coloursrdquo with its allied parties appearing to endorse or remain silent on the developmentsHe also criticised the Chief Ministerrsquos announcement made shortly after the election schedule was declared that the Mahayuti would not contest the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic polls together According to Pawar the decision reflected the BJPrsquos tendency to marginalise even its own partnersldquoEarlier allies were ridiculed and now one of them has been conveniently sidelinedrdquo Pawar said describing the situation as a result of ldquounrestrained political ambitionrdquoHe warned that if such an approach continues it would not be surprising to see a political scenario in 2029 where the BJP is pitched against all other partiesWith inputs from PTI