THANE, Aug 7: One hundred and nine people including 90 school children from Kalher village near Bhiwandi took ill today following chemical pollution in the area, according to the police.

The victims suffering from giddiness, nausea, vomitting and eye irritation, were rushed to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital at Bhiwandi where they are being presently treated.

On Tuesday, a chemical godown at the village had caught fire. Though the fire was doused, the chemical spread to the nearby villages following heavy rains today affecting Kalher, Kopar, Purna, Kasheli and Kelvani Dighe villages. The worst hit were students of the New English School situated just near the godown.

The Narpoli police in Bhiwandi have registered an offence under section 336 and 337 of the Environment Protection Act against the owner of the godown.The Commissioner of Police O P Bali and DCP Bhiwandi Zone Sanjay Saxena rushed to the site and organised relief operations.

It may be recalled that more than 100 school children from the same village were earlier too affected by food poisoning after consuming pedas on August 15 last year.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.