Department Of Consumer Affairs | Industrial Water Filters

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Self Storage painted and toxic overspray covering contents of household stored in unit.?

A year ago I put mine and my daughters belongings in storage after my mother passed away. I lived in a 4 bedroom 2 bath house and all the content was placed in this storage unit. I made this choice so that I could go and take care of my disabled father.

After visiting the storage unit I would have a major headache and high blood pressure. At first I related this to the fact that my stuff was in storage and this sparked emotions from the visual reminder. But I started to see the same pattern in my teen aged daughter. She was complaining about the same issues that I was experiencing myself.

After a few months the storage company had the facility painted and they had contracted with a nationally known painting contractor to perform the duties.

It wasn’t until I went to retrieve some of the items in the unit and placing them in the back of my SUV did I discover the problem. In the car we started to smell a really strong odor. Once we got to my dads house and went to unload the items I noticed the discoloration of the items.

So I made a complaint to the office of the storage company and was informed that I wasn’t the only one that has had this issue. They continued to give me a bogus number for the contractor. So I turned my attention back to the storage facility and got the run around. So I contacted the Department of Consumer Affairs about my complaint. I soon started to see results in compliance from the storage company and they gave me the right name and number to the contractor which I contacted.

I addressed the fact that we have experienced some health issues from the products used and the product has coated our entire worldly belongings. I raised the issue that suspected Xylene based paint being used to paint the doors of the unit. He then informed me that he had used AUTOMOTIVE paint which has low VOC’s and that it meets the federal and state requirements. I responded by saying to him, it may meet the federal and state requirements IF it was used in the intended application Environment such as a painting boot for automotive painting or in a industrial setting with proper safeguards being exercised. He did not know how to respond to that bit of information that I had.

See I am a single parent and I have been a professional commercial and industrial painting for the past 25 years. I know the liability laws and application requirements regulated by the EPA and states.

The painting company is will to reach a settlement on my claim due to the fact they do not want this to become a public issue. However they are only wanting to pay for the damaged property that photo’s show paint residue on( Meaning only white surfaced items). The darker items are contaminated just as well as the liter colored items are. So…..

I have contacted the EPA regional office to have a field agent assist me on return to the unit to take photo’s and have air quality samples taken and test to disclose exactly what toxins are present in the unit. I have also complained the EPA that the painting company sprayed airborne contaminates in wide open air without any filtration system being used. Placing the public at risk and contaminating the contents of my storage unit. They have complied in my request for testing.

The storage companies insurance agent called yesterday wanting to get a recorded statement from me about what has happened.

I need to know if this is a required over the phone recording? Could they not turn and use this against me later in litigation? Because you can not modify the recorded statement. Should I decline to entertain this request?

These are two very large Corporations that have conspired to violate federal regulations and has put the public in great danger by releasing airborne toxins into the air. This storage facility is in a highly populated community and has a water way less than 500 feet away and a community ballpark less than 1000 feet away.

Any help? Thanks!!
It is about the way the product was applied to the building and it is about the contamination of the toxins that has damaged not only my worldly possession but also the environment surrounding the facility as well.

The fact that the painting company is willing to reach a settlement on the damaged items and wanting photo’s to prove the damage is also a issue. Contamination is not always able to be documented on photo’s. The residue is just as bad on the items that it does not show up as easily on.

This recorded statement thing just seems to me like just another attempt to try and get out any liability settlement. The paint company has already admitted fault. But the storage company up until now have refused any responsibility for the damages. The insurance adjuster that wants the recorded statement if for the Storage company and not the painting company.

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I want to join anti corruption group in india?

April 15, 2007

To

The Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala,
The Deputy Director, Department Of Local Bodies, Guru Gobind Singh Stadium, Jalandhar.
The Sub Divisional Magistrate, Phagwara,
Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Phagwara.
President, Municipal Council Phagwara.
The Civil Surgeon, Kapurthala.
The Senior Medical Officer, Phagwara.

SUB: HOW MUCH PEOPLE WILL DIE DUE TO WATER BORNE DISEASES LIKE THE DEATH OF ROONA – DIED ON 13TH APRIL 2007 DUE TO VIRAL HEPATITIS A- RESIDENT OF MANSA DEVI LOCALITY OF PHAGWARA

Dear Sirs,

I, Rajneesh Madhok, resident of Nehru Nagar, Street No. 2, Railway Road, Phagwara. Ph. 01824-262569 (O), 268210 (R), 94173-06415 (Mobile), Tele-fax: 01824-262569, E-mail: madhok_rajneesh@vsnl.net wrote in my articles published in various newspapers and periodicals and personally wrote to yourgoodselves about the deteriorated sanitation facilities in Phagwara but to no vain.

Please note that I am a Registered Member of Core Centre (Consumer On-line Resource & Empowerment Centre) supported by Ministry Of Consumer Affair, Food & Public Distribution, Department of Consumer Affairs, Govt. of India, Managed by Consumer Coordination Council. ( For detail Kindly visit www.core.nic.in ) & Karamayaog.org an N.G.O. working for social & civic issues and is partner with anti corruption bureau via Mumbai. (For detail kindly visit www.karmayog.org )

Sirs, the death of 35-year-old Roona, due to hepatitis yesterday has led to panic among residents of Mansa Devi locality here. Following the public outcry, health and civic authorities should initiate some preventive measures. Roona was admitted in the Civil Hospital yesterday morning under suspicion that she was afflicted with jaundice. Later, she was found to be suffering from Viral hepatitis-A.

Sirs, hundreds of residents of Phagwara town, including those from localities like Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, Shivpuri, Rattanpura, Onkar Nagar, Industrial Area, Bhagatpura and Mansa Devi Nagar, were suffering from various water-borne diseases including jaundice, gastroenteritis and viral fever. Lack of sanitation, drainage and blocking and overflowing of sewerage system of several places were main reasons behind the mess.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the authorities of the Phagwara Nagar Council and the health department those have been interviewed by me in the past months like President, Nagar Council, Executive Officer Nagar Council, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Phagwara and Senior Medical Officer, Phagwara and have been published in the Newspaper and periodicals with my name as well had been claiming that the situation is under control.

Doctors of Civil Hospital who were treating the deceased said she was transfused two bottles of blood. Ashok Kumar, husband of Roona, who was attending on her, was suffering from jaundice as well. On enquiry from Ashok Kumar he told that he had brought his wife to the hospital in an unconscious condition a day before.

Sirs, the Lab technician Mrs. Tarsem Kaur & her son Rohit are also getting treatment in Private Room No. 1 of the hospital. Both are being treated for jaundice. Both of them are also the residents of Mansa Devi Nagar. Sirs, dozens of residents of that locality are suffering from jaundice.

Kapurthala Civil Surgeon Dr. Avtar Singh admitted that the deceased had been suffering from water borne diseases.

Sirs, in Phagwara the cases of diarrhea, malaria, intestinal helminthes (Hook work disease) that leads to severe consequences such as cognitive impairment massive dysentery or anemia & Hepatitis A. (The disease with which she was found to be suffering) is spreading like anything due to lack of SAFE DRINKING WATER, SANITATION & BASIC HEALTH CARE.

Sirs, for the urban poor, the living conditions are the worst. If this problem could not be addressed to in an adequate & timely manner serial deaths & associated health consequences will follow. Air pollution causes chronic & acute respiratory diseases, vantilatory malfunction, heart diseases, cancer of lungs due to Industrial Pollution by the heavy industries within the highly congested and prone areas of the town. All the three Mills like JCT Phagwara, Wahid & Sandher Sughar Mill Phagwara (Formerly Jagatjit Sugar Mill) and Sukhjit Starch & Chemical Industries Phagwara and number of industries of world repute are situated at the Prime and congested residential areas of Phagwara.

Sirs, due to in adequate access to clean drinking water everybody of the town looks like a patient. Hargobind Nagar is the posh locality of the town developed by Improvement Trust. This colony had been developed for residential purpose. But now it has turned to a colony of Nursing Homes with the connivance of the officials. The hospital wastes being generated by the mushrooming growth of these Nursing Homes pose a special risk and has the potential to take epidemic form.

I personally brought these civic issues in the knowledge of civic authorities but no action had been made so far.

Kindly look in to the matter seriously for the lives of lakhs of people.

I am confident that you will agree that resolving these problems are of great value. So, it is requested to you all to please to give prompt attention.

Thanking you in advance for your help and cooperation.

Rajneesh Madhok,