Blue water, burning eyes and itchy throat: Toxins released from dyeing unit in Delhi village cause for concern

One of the most commonly worn garments, blue jeans have been known to cause massive damage to the environment owing to the hazardous effects of the dye used in their making process.

As per a report in The Times of India, residents of Meethapur village in southeast Delhi have become victims of the externality of jeans dyeing units.

The illegal units where jeans are brought in can be identified by the gutters around it which are home to untreated toxic chemicals in deep blue colour.

While the main gates of this illegal dyeing unit remains locked, TOI reported that freshly dyed blue jeans were found drying on the terrace.

The residents of Meethapur also experience itchy throats and burning sensation in their eyes, in addition to the foul smell that emanates from the drains.

“In 2006, some of these units were shut down. But since then, many new units have come up. I have written to all agencies to act against them without anything happening," a resident in the locality told TOI.

Meanwhile, a video has gone viral of platform X(formerly known as Twitter) showing blue water flowing out of bathroom taps. While it is not confirmed that this is due to the dye's impact on groundwater, netizens are claiming it to be yet another side effect of the dyeing units.

The waste that comes out of this unit goes into the nearby drains, some of which merge into a nearby pond, hence making the water body toxic. The pond has reportedly turned blue due to the disposal of toxins.

Experts claim that the process of dyeing jeans blue is an environmentally unsustainable one as it consumes thousands of liters of water. Meanwhile, the blue dye that is used not only requires chemicals to penetrate into denim fibers but also does not dissolve in water.

The publication reports that the toxins released by such unauthorised units flow through the drains and end up in the River Yamuna where it massively impacts the aquatic life.

“These units run in rented premises and the landlords earn hefty rents from them," TOI quoted a source as saying.

Stressing that these units must not be allowed to function outside of industrial areas, Nivit Yadav, programme director, industrial pollution unit, Centre for Science and Environment, told the publication that substances like hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, formic formic acid, caustic soda, agents, detergents and salts are often used here which can be harmful for both humans and animals.

“Since such units release effluents that are rich in “Since such units release effluents that are rich in phosphate, this also results in froth formation in the river," TOI quoted Bhim Singh Rawat, a Yamuna activist and associate coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People as saying.