Baddi villagers raise slogans against admn, threaten stir

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, June 10

Failing to get respite from the authorities concerned on the issue of unbearable stench emanating from the common effluent treatment plant and the municipal solid waste dumped at Kenduwala village in the Baddi industrial area, the aggrieved villages on Sunday decided to plead for euthanasia before the Governor as well as the President of India.

At a meeting convened at Bhud village by the affected villagers of Nichla Malpur and Bhud Nichla falling under the Malpur panchayat, the affected villages decided to initiate a two-day signature campaign against the two plants beginning Monday. They will meet the SDM Nalagarh and give him a memorandum to be forwarded to the President of India and the Governor seeking mass euthanasia.

Villagers said it was lamentable that the authorities had adopted an indifferent approach towards their problem which would aggravate in the coming monsoon season. The dumping site spread across several bigahs has become a breeding ground for the flies and they faced the risk of disease outbreak.

Others lamented that instead of addressing their genuine grievances the officials of the State Pollution Board (SPCB) were acting on the whims and fancies of the plant management. The officials had failed to provide any respite from this problem in the last one year and now their patience was running thin as their children were falling sick.

The villagers also raised slogans against the working of the common effluent treatment plant, the SPCB and local administration at the meeting condemning their indifference towards this health-threatening issue. The aggrieved villagers have also given a 10-day ultimatum to the authorities to initiate measures and improve the situation failing which they would launch a stir.

Significantly, despite calling tender twice no bidder could be awarded contract to dispose, segregate and lift the solid waste by the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority. The authority was preparing to call the bids for the third time now, informed its Chief Executive Officer, KC Chaman.

Executive Engineer, SPCB, Avinash Sharda, said the working of the CETP was being regularly monitored and its working had shown an improvement over the previous months. He said the issue of stench pertained to the dumping site only as both were located next to each other.

No respite in 1 year

• They lamented that instead of addressing their grievances the officials of the State Pollution Board (SPCB) were acting on the whims and fancies of the plant management 
• They plead for euthanasia before the Governor as well as the President of India
• The officials had failed to provide any respite from this problem in the last one year and now their patience was running thin as their children were falling sick