SHIMLA: The state government has decided to rein in industrial units releasing pollutants into the Sirsa river in the Shiwalik foothills. The toxic waste of the Baddi Barotiwala Nalgarh Industrial hub has been flowing into the Satluj for the past decade. Surprise visits will be made to industrial units to check whether effluent treatment plants are functioning properly.
The move comes in the wake of complaints made by area residents and environment activists about pollution caused by industries. Sources said land and water pollution shows effluent treatment plants are either not working properly or are not being used at all. They said companies are responsible for proper functioning of effluent treatment plants and to ensure no pollution is caused in the area.
As complaints of improper working of such units in Baddi and Sansarpur Terrace Industrial areas poured in, the government asked the state pollution control board and agriculture department to ascertain the level of pollution caused by industries. Action will be taken against errant companies, sources said.
Industries minister Bikram Singh Thakur said a detailed inquiry would soon be conducted to look into the functioning of effluent treatment plants and causes of pollution in industrial areas. He said the government is also considering hiring an external agency to rule out chances of industries influencing the inquiry.
Green activists have been accusing industries of causing pollution for a long time. Manshi Asher of Himadhara said villages located along the banks of Sarsa river have been adversely affected by untreated effluents released by more than 2,000 industrial units in the region. Worst affected are the Gujjars, a pastoral community dependent on rearing cattle and buffaloes to make a living, she said.
In a people's public hearing conducted in Baddi in April 2014, several village residents from around the area gave written and oral testimonies on the severe health impact on humans and livestock, especially skin allergies.
Green activists said livestock are forced to drink and bathe in the polluted water and graze on contaminated grass along the banks.
On World Environment Day last year, an online petition titled "Himachal has dirty air too! Himachal Pollution Control Board install Air Quality Monitoring stations to monitor all air pollution parameters!" was launched by environmental action group, Himdhara Collective.
Green activists said areas of Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh in Nalagarh tehsil of Solan district witnessed rapid industrialisation since 2003 when the Central government announced an industrial subsidy package for the state.
Since then, around 3,000 industrial units have come up in the area and most of them are highly polluting in nature, such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, plastics, dying units and boilers, activists said.
According to them, heavy extraction of ground water, ground water pollution, air toxicity, fly ash and hazardous waste dumping are key problems that have come up in a stretch of almost 35 kms with 21 panchayats and 115 villages being affected.
