Gypsum particles in air have been affecting the health of hundreds of residents of Dariya, Mauli Jagran and surrounding villages, adjacent to the Chandigarh railway station for the past over one year.

The Railways authorities have not been giving any attention to the health of villagers and allowing multinational companies to unload wagons full of the gypsum clay, which are causing air pollution on a large scale.

The problem was earlier being faced by residents of Kiratpur Sahib and surrounding areas in Ropar district a couple of months ago. The Railways authorities had to shift the site for the unloading of the wagons full of gypsum following massive protests by the residents.

According to information, certain cement-manufacturing factories, located in Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring states, have been ferrying gypsum clay from Rajasthan on a large scale. The clay is being transported by goods trains from Rajasthan to the Chandigarh railway station and then to their respective destinations by road.

In the unloading process, thick clouds of gypsum dust virtually fill the place, posing a serious threat to the heath of residents of the surrounding villages as well as to the labourers without masks at the site. The air containing gypsum particles has even started affecting the health of children and vegetation adversely in the surrounding areas.

The Gram Panchayat of Dariya village, Chandigarh, has given a representation to the Advisor to the UT Administrator, listing its grievances. Seeking the stoppage of loading and unloading of the gypsum, the panchayat members have also threatened to resort an agitation against the Railways authorities.

The panchayat has also written to Union State Minister of Finance Pawan Bansal, Divisional Railway Manager, Northern Railway, Ambala Cantonment, Inspector-General of Northern Railway, Panchkula, Station Superintendent of Northern Railway, Chandigarh, and other authorities concerned in this regard.

A senior official of the UT Pollution Control Committee made it clear that air pollution by unloading gypsum clay at the railway station was a consequence of the mismanagement by the Railways authorities.

The Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Ambala, was not available for comments. Mr R.P. Dutta, Station Superintendent, Chandigarh Railway Station, said certain Himachal Pradesh-based cement manufacturing factories have been unloading tonnes of gypsum clay at the railway station almost everyday as per the rules.