6 sites in 3 HP towns found contaminated

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 18

The State Pollution Control Board has been directed to prepare an action plan to remedy a contaminated site in Baddi where traces of zinc, copper, lead, chromium and  hexavalent chromium have been detected in soil, air and water. It is one of the 55 such sites listed by the Union Environment Ministry. 

The ministry has identified five more sites in Himachal’s industrial towns of Parwanoo, Kala Amb and Baddi as “probably” contaminated as carcinogenic chemicals like cadmium, asbestos, toluene, pesticides and volatile organic compounds like chloroform, dichloromethane and vinylchloride  have been detected there. 

The sites in Parwanoo are located in inhabited areas, along  Kaushalaya river at Khadeen village,  Kala Amb, and along Markandaya river and an area along Sandholi Nullah in Baddi. At least two sites are water bodies, as per the list provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), officials of which have directed the state board to clear the sites of hazardous waste within six months. The issue is already before the NGT. The state board has been told to identify and establish “probable” contamination sites and take action.

Earlier too studies by the CPCB and IIT-Kanpur have detected carcinogenic chemicals. Member Secretary (SPCB) Aditya Negi said an action plan was being prepared to clear Baddi of hazardous waste.