No let-up in waste disposal in open by Karnal rice mills

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, October 28

Despite a public outcry, the authorities concerned have allegedly failed to check pollution emitting from rice mills in Karnal district. Without any check, the rice mills, which fall under green, orange and red categories of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) as per their discharge, are contributing a lot to air, soil and water pollution.

Local residents blame the authorities concerned for not bothering to check the unsystematic disposal of waste from the mills.

Sources in the HSPCB say that the millers have to ensure proper handling, storage and transportation of rice husk, rice husk ash and waste water to check pollution but most of the mills are not following the norms. For every 100 kg of paddy, 20 kg to 23 kg of husk is produced and when 100 kg of husk is burnt in boilers, it generates around 25 kg of ash, say sources.

The Tribune visited Kutail and Bastara villages, Bajida road and Taraori and found that the effluent treatment plants (ETPs) of various mills were not working, due to which untreated waste water was being discharged into the open, while collection, storage and disposal management of husk ash was also being handled unscientifically.

The residents say environment pollution by the mills is not new. “This has been going on for the past several years. We have raised the issue at several platforms, but in vain,” says a farmer.

The unscientific disposal of husk ash is creating problems for residents of the nearby areas, as it causes eye, respiratory and skin-related diseases.

Dr S Singhal, a skin specialist at the local civil hospital, says that the exposure to such pollution causes skin-related diseases such as itching and irritation. People, who already have any kind of skin problem, should avoid going out.

Meanwhile, Vinod Goel, state vice-president of the Haryana Rice Millers and Dealers Association, said that the ETPs of all mills should be in the running condition and the millers should avoid dumping ash and waste water in the open.

SK Arora, area engineer of HSPCB, said, “We have asked the mills to ensure scientific treatment of waste. If any mill is contributing to air or water pollution, I will get it checked”.

‘Mills not following norms’

• For every 100 kg of paddy, 20 kg to 23 kg of husk is produced and when 100 kg of husk is burnt in boilers, it generates around 25 kg of ash
• Sources in the Haryana State Pollution Control Board say that the millers have to ensure proper handling, storage and transportation of rice husk, rice husk ash and waste water to check pollution but most of the mills are not following the norms