Himachal: Solan district administration to assess impact of waste management plant on health of Majra residents

To assess the impact of a hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility on the health of residents of Majra village in Nalagarh, scientific investigations linked to air and water will be undertaken by the administration.

Coordination would be established with the Department of Community Medicine at IGMC, Shimla, to facilitate health check-up of villagers in Majra and surrounding areas by a team of experts to identify the root causes of the problems.

Speaking at a meeting of the villagers and representatives of the Shivalik Solid Waste Management plant at Nalagarh today, Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma said, “If the investigation reveals any pollution or health hazards associated with the company’s operations, necessary action will be taken in accordance with the rules.”

He directed the company management to conduct a monthly medical check-up of their employees. The DC further instructed that if water or air samples are collected from multiple locations, they should be taken simultaneously using the same procedure to maintain transparency in the testing process.

Acceding to the villagers’ request, he directed that the water test reports clearly include data on specific heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and arsenic as well as other prescribed parameters.

The DC instructed the Jal Shakti Department and the Pollution Control Board to periodically collect drinking water samples from Majra, besides two or three neighbouring villages, for testing against prescribed standards. He noted that regular monitoring of water quality would enable the timely detection of any potential health issues. “Tests should also be conducted to check for the presence of total dissolved solids, chlorides, heavy metals, arsenic, and other pollutants in the water as prolonged exposure to certain harmful elements could have serious health consequences, making regular testing of drinking water quality essential,” he said.

Allaying the fears of the villagers, he stated that if any shortcomings are found in the company’s operations, the administration will make every possible effort to have them rectified.

Nalagarh MLA Hardeep Singh Baba, who was also present at the meeting, emphasised the need to address the concerns of the villagers on priority. He urged the company management to avoid transporting liquid and semi-liquid waste to the Shivalik Solid Waste Management plant — if technically and legally feasible — and to transport only dry solid waste. Noting that the company has been operational for nearly 20 years, he suggested considering the closure of the facility or implementing a better alternative arrangement in the future.

The MLA stated that the shortcomings and issues regarding the company’s operations and waste management raised by the villagers before the administration must be addressed in an impartial and scientific manner.