Industrial waste from Baddi litters highway

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, February 10

With little check on the proper disposal of the industrial waste in the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN), a major portion of this waste is littering the National Highway (NH) 21-A.

A visit to the area revealed that small time scrap dealers undertake segregation of the industrial waste openly along the NH and whatever waste has commercial value is sold off while the remaining is disposed of unscientifically either in the rivers or left to rot.

It was also observed that the service stations of this industrial belt do not dispose of the waste oil, water, grease, etc., as per the norms, thus adding to the pollution. Not only were the riverbeds of the neighbouring Haryana getting transformed into washing outlets for chemical-laced drums but the toxins were contaminating the water of Sirsa river flowing into Baddi.

A scrap market had developed on the NH 21-A bordering Baddi where plastic and chemical waste containers could be seen strewn around openly. The unregulated movement of waste was also in violation of the norms and it was causing loss of revenue to the state exchequer.

Deepak Bhandari, Adviser, Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Industries Association while terming it as a damaging trend, said it was causing damage to the ecology and also deteriorating the quality of water in the rivers.

He said the association had been trying to press upon the members to undertake segregation at the generation point itself so that waste is either sent for scientific recycling or to the hazardous waste sites authorized by the state Pollution Control Board for its proper disposal as per the norms.

He added that despite hazardous waste handling norms requiring scientific handling of such waste its provisions have not been implemented properly, thus adversely affecting the environmental conditions of the BBN.

Senior officials of the SPCB recently convened a meeting to tackle this issue where various aspects relating to type of waste strewn on the roads was discussed.

Confirming the news an official said an internal committee had been constituted to examine this issue as it related to the small time scrap dealers on whom the board had no control. He said they could tighten the noose around authorized contractors who collected and disposed hazardous waste but those collecting scrap did not come under this purview.