Pune: Suspected chemical and paint fumes, allegedly emanating from flex-printing and laser-cutting shops operating within the KPCT Mall in Fatimanagar, have caused breathing difficulties, nausea and eye irritation among staff and customers, business owners in the mall have claimed.Shop owners in the mall said the problem has intensified in recent weeks, even affecting children visiting a ground-floor health clinic for assessments.One business owner, who has had a shop in the mall for nearly 20 years, said customers have reported discomfort. “There’s a strong smell of paint and chemicals, which causes severe chest constriction and burning of the eyes. Some customers complained of headaches too,” he said, adding that on one occasion five people experienced breathlessness and had to leave the mall premises.At the ground-floor clinic, employees said a colleague had to recently leave work halfway after experiencing suffocation. “This person also complained of a burning sensation in the eyes,” a clinic representative said.The source of the fumes is still unclear, but mall occupants said they suspect the problem is linked to flex-printing and laser-cutting shops located on the ground and upper floors of the mall. Printed and painted hoardings are also left to dry within the premises, the business owners said.Laser cutting can generate smoke and fumes depending on the material that’s being processed, while paints are known to release vapours. But the source and composition of the fumes at the mall have not yet been established.Employees of a medical equipment store, catering largely to senior citizens, an architecture firm and a photography studio all said they have experienced symptoms ranging from breathlessness and dizziness to throat irritation and nausea.A canteen operator in the mall, Suryakant Salve, said a young girl complained of a smell five days ago when she visited his shop. “She said she felt like vomiting,” Salve said.The clinic representative said another girl who was in a prayer room located on the upper floor of the mall reported similar symptoms. “The girl ended up vomiting,” the representative said.The owner of the architecture firm said two of his four employees resigned recently, citing health concerns. “One employee vomited twice, went home and required medical attention. The problem worsened after an adjacent unit brought in more machinery,” the owner said, pointing to one of the flex printing businesses.A business owner said a complaint letter was sent to Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on Sept 15, alleging that one flex-printing unit at the mall was emitting chemical fumes and causing respiratory problems among staff and customers. The complaint, in the form of an email, was sent to the Board’s Pune regional office with a copy to the state environment department. It alleged that the unit was operating large machinery in about 200sqft of space and repeated complaints to PMC and other authorities had not resulted in action.TOI attempted to contact MPCB for a response, but had not received a reply till the time of going to press.
