PACL: Info on groundwater pollution not shared with us

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Una, July 25

Deputy General Manager, Punjab Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (PACL), a Punjab government industrial unit in Nangal, MPS Walia, on Wednesday said reports of excess sodium chloride in the groundwater of panchayats located near the unit were not shared with their officials by the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board authorities.  

Walia was addressing mediapersons after recent reports by the Una Pollution Control Board on the presence of high levels of sodium chloride in the groundwater of six panchayats, located near the chemical manufacturing unit, surfaced. 

The Pollution Control Board had acted on a communication by the Una Zila Parishad and four samples from adjoining villages in the state were sent to the laboratory of the Pollution Control Board in Dharamsala in April.  

The report had confirmed the presence of toxic levels of sodium, besides very high levels of chloride in the samples drawn from shallow sources, including private handpumps, open wells and private tubewells. 

Environmental engineer at the Una Pollution Control Board office SK Dhiman said reports of water samples had also been shared by the Member Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board with officials in Punjab as well as the Central Pollution Control Board. 

Walia said tubewells were also located within the PACL, the water quality of which was regularly monitored. He added that effluents from the unit were being treated as per norms. 

The Una Pollution Control Board had not taken PACL officials into confidence while taking water samples from the adjoining villages. 

The Deputy General Manager said the unit had employed about 40 per cent Himachalis, but people from the adjoining panchayats were constantly pressuring the PACL for providing them more jobs. 

He said the allegation on PACL regarding the pollution of groundwater could be another pressure tactic by locals for jobs in the unit.   

The case

The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board has found the presence of high concentrations of sodium and raised levels of chloride in the groundwater of six southern panchayats of Una district located on the Punjab border. Punjab Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd (PACL), a unit owned by the Punjab Government in Nangal, a few km from here, is reported to be the main source of pollution.

Officialspeak

Tubewells are located within PACL, the water quality of which is regularly monitored. Effluents from the unit are also being treated as per norms. — MPS Walia, DGM, Punjab Alkalies and Chemicals Limited