PUNE: Some warkaris claimed that they had developed rashes on their bodies after they took a bath in the Indrayani river in Alandi. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s (MPCB) recent report had highlighted that the river water was unsafe for a holy dip. 

Ganesh Mane from Bijvadi village in Malshiras taluka, said, “I did not know that the river water is polluted. But I had washed my hands and legs and later, I got rashes.”

Haridas Mane of Dindi number 50 from Ashte village in Mohol taluka in Solapur district, said, “The water was smelling. We did not go near the river, but my son was playing with the water and he got rashes.”

Kanchana Shendge of Dindi number 101 from Adkur village in Chandgad taluka in Kolhapur district, said, “Our dindi pramukh had informed us that the Indrayani river is polluted. But still some of the warkaris from our dindi happened to wash their hands and got rashes.”

Apparently, a couple of weeks ago, hundreds of fishes were found dead on the bank of the river. The untreated sewage water, industrial water etc is released into the river. Similarly, there is no STP in Dehugaon leading to untreated water mixing with the river water.