The Navrang compound in Dharavi has always been notorious for the toxic colours it breeds every year before Holi.
This year has been no exception. Social activists in the area say anti-social elements have been dumping sacks and tins full of toxic colours collected from surrounding factories and units in the Navrang compound. Children from the surrounding residential localities make a beeline for the compound every year to access free colours they can play with on the day of Holi.
Five years ago, these toxic colours had caused over 140 children to fall seriously ill, of which 20 had been critically ill for a long while. Five companies in the area were pulled up and action initiated against them following the incident. However, not much has changed since say local social workers Fakrul Islam Shaikh and Dr Yusuf Khan.
Will the civic administration take any preventive measures this time? Or are we looking at a repeat of 2012?
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