BBN houses maximum ‘red category’ industries

Ambika Sharma in Baddi

Himachal Pradesh’s industrial hub Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh houses 79% of the state’s industries. There are as many as 295 ‘red category’ units — those evaluated as hazardous — in Solan district, a majority of which are located in the BBN belt. They have a pollution index score – the measurement of concentration of air and water pollutants and their quantity — of 60 and above and are normally not allowed in the ecologically fragile areas. 

Industries such as lead acid battery manufacturing units, paper, organic chemicals, dyes and their intermediate manufacturers, cement, drugs, textiles, are located in the BBN. Many units have simply failed to abide by pollution control norms. The indifference to effectively operate effluent treatment plants is exposed during rains when foamy, untreated effluents flow into water bodies of the area. The water quality of various drains such as Sandholi, Malpur and Balad has deteriorated over the years and one finds black filthy water flowing out from these places. The State Pollution Control Board cites shortage of staff as a reason for its inability to effectively monitor the water quality on a regular basis.

The SPCB was yet to adopt all norms of the National Ambient Air Quality (NAAQ) monitoring notified in November 2009, which included parameters as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, Particulate Matter of varying dimensions, ozone, lead, carbonmonoxide, ammonia, benzene, benzoapyrene, arsenic and nickel. 

Sanjay Sood, MS, SPCB, says the board is in the process of upgrading its lab. Director, Environment, Archana Sharma has suggested a slew of measures which should be implemented to improve the environment in the BBN area. “Since several reports have detected the presence of carcinogenic contents in the air, it we should go into the source of this problem. A mechanism of third party environmental audit should be undertaken where time-bound action on laxities should be initiated,” she says. Monitoring of all NAAQ norms should be adopted so that the levels of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, benzene and pyrene are effectively monitored from the source.

Another measure could be since industrial boilers use low-grade oil, a policy on the quality and quantity of such fuel should be spelt out. “Attempts should also be made to discourage diesel-run generator sets. For this to happen, we need assured power supply,” says Archana Sharma. The industrial buildings should be well ventilated to minimize ACs’use.

Baddi-based Elin Appliances, a home appliances manufacturing unit, has set an example. It has undertaken voluntary carbon footprint mapping in its manufacturing plant to reduce harmful emission emanating from various industrial processes. Plant head JS Kang says the company took up an in-depth mapping of direct emissions from controlled sources and indirect emissions from purchased energy sources. It revealed that 2,30,596 kg of carbon dioxide was emitted annually. Sustained efforts such as planting were taken up in a span of nine years, which helped in offsetting carbon emissions by 99,759 kg on an annual level. “Air purifying plants led to 95% of the AC facility being free of chlorofluorocarbons. This coupled with power-saving measures has helped us in keeping the emission levels in check,” says Kang.