Toxic Rajasthan waste on fire, 200 in 2 Nuh villages develop ailments

Tribune News Service

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, May 2

With authorities turning a blind eye to the plight of twin villages bordering Rajasthan over the past 12 years, residents of Khori Khurd and Khori Kalan in Haryana’s Nuh district have been forced to live in a gas chamber owing to illegal burning of toxic industrial waste brought from the neighbouring state.

Villagers seek Centre’s intervention

• Nuh’s Khori Khurd & Khori Kalan with 2,500 households lie on Rajasthan border, near industrial town of Bhiwadi
• Toxic industrial waste is brought over to dozen illegal disposal units near villages & set on fire, turning air toxic
• Residents have flagged thoracic, pulmonary, ophthalmic ailments among 200 kids & senior citizens to Centre
• Farmers claim chemicals are seeping into water source & damaging crop; also affecting birds & animals in area

The villages have now urged the Centre to step in, flagging health ailments among 200 children and senior citizens, including chronic thoracic, pulmonary and ophthalmic issues, in addition to death and disappearance of local birds and animals.

The villages with 2,500 households lie on the state border, close to the industrial town of Bhiwadi in Rajasthan.

The residents claim over a dozen illegal dump units, otherwise shown closed on paper, are actively engaged in disposing of toxic industrial waste around the villages.

Hundreds of tonnes of chemical waste and drums are brought in to these sites and set on fire each night, turning the air toxic and affecting area’s population.

“We have been bearing the brunt of pollution since 2012 and have filed numerous complaints. Every time an inspection happens, officials claim the units are closed. In reality, drums with chemical waste are brought in illegally to these units from Rajasthan and set on fire every night. The area has turned into a gas chamber,” claims resident’s representative Usman Ali in a complaint to the Central Pollution Control Board. “Children complain of constant irritation in throat and burning eyes. They are facing voice issues. We have stopped sending them out in the evening as the air is toxic. Many of these children and seniors have undergone treatment at local private clinics and community hospitals,” he adds.

The villagers have urged the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to take suo motu cognisance of the situation, given the number of native birds that have perished in the past one decade and the animal carcases seen on a daily basis.

Farmers claim chemicals are seeping into water sources and damaging crop, besides affecting cattle.

Haryana has been at loggerheads with Rajasthan over illegal discharge of industrial waste and chemicals into the state, especially in bordering Nuh district.

Deputy Commissioner Dhirender Khadgata says he will look into the matter and take necessary action if lapses are found. A senior official of the state pollution board’s local unit says they have not received any fresh complaint, but the older ones need to be revisited.

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