Taking serious cognizance of leakage from storage plants of Indian Oil and Bharat Petroliam at Akolner village, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered the Ahemadnagar district collector to form a fact-finding committee consisting of a regional officer of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and any authorized senior officer of the Oil Industries Safety Directorate (OISD). The committee coordinator shall be a deputy collector nominated by the Ahmednagar district collector. Ordering an investigation on April 24, the NGT west zone bench at Pune, comprising justice Vikas R Kingaonkar and expert member Ajay Deshpande mentioned that there are prima facie circumstancial evidence regarding the mixing of petrol in the water of wells and bore-wells of the Akolner village, for which the villagers have facing constant health problems since 2008. Apart from the fact-finding committee, the NGT has also ordered a survey of the relevant sites and examination of pipelines underneath by utilising modern technology, if required, without excavation. The report is to be submitted to the tribunal within a period of three weeks. Akolner is located about 20 km from Ahmednagar. There are 14 huge storage tanks at the depots of the Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation, for materials like petrol, diesel and oil, the petitioner has said. “In 2008, villagers noticed a smell of petrol in the water of their wells and bore-wells. With every passing day, the presence of petrol, diesel or oil and also its odour in the water in the wells and bore-wells increased. The colour of the water turned red. In the past, villagers used to drink this water, these being their sole sources. But due to this contamination they do not get drinking water. Their animals, like cows and buffaloes, are also refusing to drink this water. ,” said the petitioner.