HSPCB officials face probe over sample preservation violations

Officials of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) in Panipat have come under scrutiny for allegedly violating preservation norms while collecting water samples for pollution analysis. The samples were taken to a laboratory in Panchkula, but senior officials discovered that they were not preserved according to required standards.

The Board officials also launched a probe into the negligence.

As per the sources, the HSPCB officials collected samples from Panipat-based industries to assess water pollution levels. Regional Officer Bhupender Singh Chahal and his team transported the samples for laboratory testing on Thursday.

Upon arrival at HSPCB headquarters, senior officials, including Chief Engineer Balraj Singh Ahlawat and Senior Environment Engineer JP Singh, inspected the samples and found that they had not been preserved properly. According to preservation norms, water samples should be kept at temperatures not exceeding 4°C and should be preserved with ice packs. However, no ice packs were used during the preservation process.

Taking a serious note over the negligence, the officials prepared a report and sent it to the higher authorities for further action. A video of inspection of samples has gone viral on social media.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has fixed the norms for preservation of the samples for analysing the COD, oil, grease, heavy metals, chemicals and other microbiological parameters, said a senior official in the HSPCB on the condition of anonymity.

Varun Gulati, a Delhi-based environmentalist, alleged that it was a routine practice of the field staff and samples were not properly preserved to ensure favourable laboratory results. "Pollution is visible everywhere, yet the samples taken are always passed," he stated.

Bhupender Singh Chahal, RO, HSPCB refuted any negligence and said that the matter was fake and videos that went viral were also fake which was made with some malafide intention.

Balraj Singh Ahlawat, Chief Engineer, HSPCB Panchkula said samples brought out from Panipat were not properly preserved. A probe into the matter is at an early stage, the Chief Engineer said.

Pradeep Dagar, Member Secretary, HSPCB, said appropriate action would be taken.