Chembur Gas Leak Scare: Residents Report Smog And Pungent Odour Near RCF Plant, Officials Deny Leakage

Mumbai: On Monday morning, too, residents of Chembur East’s Sindhi Society and Collector Colony experienced thick smog and a pungent smell emanating from the Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) plant, once again raising concerns over potential gas leakage and a serious environmental and public safety issue.

However, officials from the RCF are firm that there is no incident of any leakage. “There are high-tech machineries deployed. After complaints last week, we have rechecked everything, the pollution board has also deployed machines, and all gas emissions are within limits,” an RCF spokesperson said.

Monitoring by MPCB

It was on Monday, September 8, that the MPCB deployed two machines at the RCF plant in Chembur to track the volatile organic compound (VOC) in the air, following several complaints from residents about a potential gas leak that led to a pungent smell and smog, causing them to fall ill.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday took suo motu cognisance after news reports highlighting the dangerous gas leak incidents, adding that officers from the legal services authority would be sent to the affected areas for further inspection.

Residents’ Concerns and Activist’s Appeal

Meanwhile, worried over gas emissions, a resident of Sindhi Society and activist, Satish Shetty has written to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and BMC demanding an ‘Urgent and Escalated Intervention in Recurring Ammonia Leak from RCF, Chembur and Its Grave Threat to Schools & Residential Communities in the vicinity’.

Shetty, who is also the President of Taloja Industries Association said, “We are not saying it ‘must’ be a gas leak. It could be an unoperational ‘air scrubber’, because of which unfiltered gases could be emitting. An air scrubber is an air pollution control device used in industries to remove harmful substances from exhaust gases before releasing them into the atmosphere.”

RCF Denies Leak, Assures Safety

However, the spokesperson of RCF clarified that all machineries are well maintained with highly qualified engineers on the job.

Call for Independent Monitoring

Shetty said that the MPCB should deploy machines at Sindhi Society and Collectors Colony, where the residents are complaining, and the RCF should also hold a meeting with the residents’ representatives and clarify doubts.

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“Residents have repeatedly reported persistent strong chemical odors, breathlessness, and irritation, even when official monitoring systems showed no deviations—indicating potential gaps in monitoring or accountability. Chembur East already suffers from chronic air pollution, largely due to industrial activity, nearby Deonar dumping ground fires, and open burning—factors that amplify health risks, especially for children. Chembur consistently registers the highest PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ levels among Mumbai’s monitoring sites.”

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