Aurangabad, Feb 23:
The farmers staying in villages in the periphery of Super Communication Expressway (or Samrudhi Mahamarg) grieved that the elderly persons and kids are facing health threat due to the spreading of dust. They also mentioned the damage to standing crops in their agriculture fields. The formation of dust is mostly due to an increase in the mobility of heavy motor vehicles (HMV) in the vicinity.
It may be noted that the government has claimed that the areas in the vicinity of the Expressway will witness benefitting a lot. After better transportation, the internationally acclaimed industries would establish their units, and it would automatically generate huge employment opportunities.
According to farmers, the dust spread in a radius of 500 metres after passing one HMV in speed. The movement of HMVs had been increased due to the ongoing construction of the ambitious Mumbai-Nagpur road. These heavy vehicles pass through the villages regularly. Accordingly, the spread of dust is posing a threat to human beings, cattle as well as standing crops in the fields. The villagers claimed a rise in the suffering of kids and elderly persons from air and sound pollution.
The dust causes irritation in the eyes, redness, severe cold, breathing disorder, skin irritation, blackening of hands and face in winter etc. The standing crops of wheat, jowar, onion etc., are also alleged to be damaged. The cattle fodder attracts dust, and on its consumption, the quantity of milk release by the cattle reduces. The water in many wells are also getting contaminated, it is said.