Surat: Inhabitants of coastal villages like Budia, Jiav, Dipli and others staged a dharna near MTB College in the city on Friday, demanding the closure of an industrial unit located some 200m from Budia village.The village residents said they are suffering from increased levels of asthma, cough and other illnesses including cancer due to dumping of hazardous waste on land. The dharna was staged under the banner of Kantha Vibhag Yuva Koli Samaj Parivartan Trust.Prakash Contractor, president of Kantha Vibhag Yuva Koli Samaj Parivartan Trust told TOI, "The company, Color Tex, has been dumping lots of poisonous chemicals. When there is a law that none of these industries should be located within 500m of human habitation, this company is just 200m away from nearest village. Part of their 18 hectares is 200m from the well and lake of Budia village. They have been polluting the water too."Contractor alleged that the company was not following the rules and regulations and said they intended to approach a court.Till now, the people from villages like Budia, Jiav, Khajod, Dipli, Bamroli, Bhestan, Bhimrad, Sarsana and others used to protest in their areas, but to draw wider attention they have come to the city now."If the government doesn't listen to us, we will protest outside the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) office in Gandhinagar," said Contractor.Responding to the allegations of the villagers, Kirit Gandhi of Color Tex said, "We have done nothing against the law. We have all the required permissions."

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