Nashik groundwater crisis draws national rights body attention as Kumbh Mela preparations advance

A severe chromium contamination emergency in the Ambad industrial area has pushed Nashik into a public health crisis, with laboratory tests confirming hexavalent chromium levels at over 1,000 times the permissible drinking water standard, prompting the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to shut seventeen electroplating units and the National Human Rights Commission to issue a formal notice to the state government. At the same time, the city is in the final stretch of preparation for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, with BJP leader Girish Mahajan launching a drive to hoist one lakh saffron flags across Nashik and Trimbakeshwar and the Dhwajarohan flag-hoisting ceremony at Trimbakeshwar set for October 31.

🤝 Chromium Contamination Sickens 109 Ambad Residents

Down To Earth has reported that toxic chromium was found at concentrations 1,000 times above the drinking water safety limit in Nashik's Ambad locality, with 109 residents diagnosed with skin ailments as a result. Children have developed blisters after bathing in the polluted water and show non-healing ulcers. The contamination stems from industrial activity in the Ambad area. Responding to the discovery, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board ordered the closure of seventeen electroplating units identified as likely sources of the discharge. Authorities also issued a ban on the use of groundwater in the affected zone and initiated a medical screening programme to assess the full scale of health impacts on the community. The contamination is a serious blow to a neighbourhood that relies on borewell water for daily needs. With the Simhastha Kumbh Mela approaching and attention on Nashik, the groundwater crisis underscores the tension between rapid industrial activity in the Ambad MIDC zone and the welfare of nearby residential communities. Health officials and environmental regulators now face pressure to demonstrate that the closures and medical response are sufficient to protect remaining residents from further exposure to the hazardous chemical. [3]

🤝 Lab Test Confirms Industrial Hexavalent Chromium Poisoning

The South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People released a press note documenting the analytical findings at the centre of the Nashik groundwater crisis. Residential borewell water in Ambad had turned bright yellow, and SANDRP researcher Parineeta Dandekar visited the site and arranged for the sample to be tested at an accredited laboratory. The analysis revealed hexavalent chromium at 50.3 milligrams per litre and total chromium at 50.5 milligrams per litre — levels that exceed the Bureau of Indian Standards permissible drinking water limit of 0.05 milligrams per litre by over 1,000 times. Industrial hexavalent chromium originating from the Ambad MIDC is identified as the likely source of the contamination. Local activists Roshan Kedar and Rajesh Pandit, along with their team and volunteers, had been raising the issue and consistently following up with affected residents before the laboratory confirmation was obtained. The SANDRP report provides documented evidence giving residents and advocates a factual basis for demanding accountability from the Maharashtra government and the industrial operators believed to be responsible for the discharge into the community's groundwater. [9]

🪔 Forest Dept Clears Monkeys Ahead of Trimbakeshwar Dhwajarohan

Maharashtra's Forest Department is engaged in an active monkey-catching operation in Nashik ahead of the Dhwajarohan, or flag-hoisting, ceremony marking the start of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela at Trimbakeshwar. According to ETV Bharat, the Dhwajarohan ceremony is scheduled for October 31 at 12:02 pm. The Forest Department's task of rounding up monkeys in the city reflects the scale of preparation underway as authorities aim to ensure a smooth and safe religious event at the Trimbakeshwar temple complex. Monkeys in the area have posed challenges for event preparations and visitor safety at religious sites, and their removal in advance of a large public gathering is considered a standard precautionary measure. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar, held every twelve years along the banks of the Godavari River, is one of the largest religious gatherings in Maharashtra and draws millions of pilgrims from across India and abroad. The Dhwajarohan ceremony, the symbolic raising of the flag at the Trimbakeshwar temple, marks the formal commencement of the festival period and is an important ritual milestone for the Hindu community attending the Kumbh. [1]

🗳️ BJP Launches Har Ghar Bhagwa Drive for Simhastha Kumbh

BJP leader Girish Mahajan launched the Har Ghar Bhagwa, or saffron flag at every home, campaign in Nashik ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. As reported by Deccan Herald, the campaign aims to hoist a total of one lakh saffron flags across the region, with 75,000 targeted for Nashik city and 25,000 for the Trimbakeshwar area. The campaign was launched on October 25, 2026. Har Ghar Bhagwa is a symbolic exercise intended to build public enthusiasm and visible identity around the Kumbh Mela event. The saffron flag carries both religious significance and political symbolism in Maharashtra, and the BJP-led drive is designed to mobilise community participation in welcoming the festival. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela, held at the Godavari at Nashik and Trimbakeshwar, is a significant occasion for civic mobilisation. With the Dhwajarohan ceremony days away and preparations advanced, campaigns such as Har Ghar Bhagwa represent the political dimension of the Kumbh preparations, with the ruling coalition seeking to closely associate itself with the successful hosting of one of Maharashtra's most prominent religious gatherings. [5]

Sources: [3] Down To Earth · [9] South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People · [1] ETV Bharat · [5] Deccan Herald