GHAZIABAD: Alarmed over the high level of groundwater and air pollution in the city, residents of Ghaziabad on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the NCR Planning Board, giving it a deadline of March 10 to act and threatening to launch an agitation if their problems were not addressed.
In a meeting with NCR Planning Board's commissioner Kush Verma, the residents, under the banner of the Confederation of NCR Resident Welfare Associations (CONRWA), pointed out that there are 400 polluting units in the city that are contributing to groundwater pollution. The case of Lohia Nagar, where hexavalent chromium content in ground water is 800 times the permissible limit, especially perturbs residents
"We have demanded that the planning board prevail upon the district pollution board to find out whether effluent treatment plants are installed in these units or not, and if they are, then whether they are in working condition or not," T P Tyagi, CONRWA convener, told TOI.
The residents have also demanded that such units be closed down immediately.
CONRWA delegation also met the district magistrate, threatening to launch an agitation if their demands were not met.
"The face of development that is shown to us is not sustainable at all as it threatens the future of our next generation. It is high time that we act and if departments and agencies fail to pay heed to our demands, we will agitate on March 10 in front of the DM's office," Tyagi said.
Last Thursday, the members, under the banner of Apartment Owners Association Federation (AOAF), had also decided to launch a protest if the authorities continued to remain indifferent to their problems.
Tyagi said there is no proper mechanism at the pollution board to find out if there are other toxic elements like zinc, arsenic, lead, cadmium and others in the groundwater. "Recently, the nature of ailments reported from areas like Mukundnagar, Kadkad Model Village and Delta Colonies have strongly indicated they are due to heavy metals," he said.
Regarding air pollution, CONRWA president P S Jain said, "Heavy vehicles are the biggest culprit, especially dumpers and tractor trolleys carrying building materials and they need to be checked."
Jain demanded that the public transport system be made environment-friendly.
"CNG-fitted city buses should be made compulsory," he added. There were talks that transport department was mulling to operate 200 CNG-fitted city buses in the city, but till date the plan has made no headway.
When contacted, Kush Verma said, "The issue raised by the federation is indeed grave and I have forwarded the memorandum to concerned departments/offices. But we are more into planning and advisory role (and not the implementing authority)."
