High Court questions PCB over plan to check underground water pollution in Baddi

Shimla, June 29

The HP High Court has asked the State Pollution Control Board (PCB) what action it proposes to take to deal with the alarming groundwater pollution in the Baddi-Barotiwala industrial area. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Satyen Vaidya passed the order after perusing the report of the IIT-Mandi regarding groundwater pollution in the Baddi-Barotwala industrial belt.

The counsel for the state government placed on record the report of the IIT-Mandi indicating the level of groundwater pollution detected at Baddi at depths between 30 metres and 80 meters below the ground.

The report further reveals that there are traces of heavy metals and geogenic uranium in the groundwater originating from both natural and industrial sources and warns of serious consequences to human health on account of the presence of carcinogenic chemicals in the aquifer due to contamination.

The court directed the state to supply its copy to the Pollution Control Board and to place on record what action it proposes to deal with this alarming situation. The court listed the matter for hearing on July 16.

The court passed the direction while hearing a PIL highlighting pollution-related problems in in this industrial belt.