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Bijendra Ahlawat
The “noncompliance of norms” and illegal removal and transportation of fly ash from a dumpsite near Sector 49 in Faridabad developed several years ago has emerged a major cause of severe pollution. Residents of various localities in the vicinity of the dumpsite near the starting point of the Faridabad-Gurugram highway complain of breathing and other problems due to pollution.
Jitender Bhadana, an activist of NGO Save Aravalli, says that the ash was dumped by the erstwhile Thermal Power Plant operated by Haryana Power Generation Corporation Ltd several years ago. However, it was made available for use in the construction of the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways and the expansion of the National Highway No. 2 to six lanes in 2015.
“The authorities concerned had given permission to lift and remove fly ash for only one or two years, but contractors and ineligible persons are still engaged in the job (without permission), playing a havoc with the lives of thousands of residents of Sainik Colony, Achievers Colony, Badkhal village, and Sectors 48 and 49 situated in the vicinity of the dumping site,” says Sanjay Bagul, a resident of Sainik Colony.
He says that the fly ash, which was the residue of the closed down Bata Thermal Power Station, has harmful ingredients such as carbon oxide, and it flies due to continuing digging to remove it and covers hundreds of houses almost every day. The plant known to cause acute air pollution was closed down in 2011.
“My family is fed up with the fly ash covering our house and causing pollution, forcing us to think of shifting elsewhere,” says Anu Rao, a resident of Sector 49. It blackens the floor in her house and the surroundings and she has to clean her home at least four or five times daily, a Herculean task for her. “The ash has made our lives hellish. It has created breathing problems in aged members of our family and children,” says Satender Kumar, a resident of Bhakri village.
He says that the fly ash has polluted air in several villages, including Newada, Pali and Bhakri. The problem has been reported to the Deputy Commissioner and Pollution Control Board officials but got no relief. A large number of cases of asthma and related disorders have come to light in the area in the past one decade. The residual fly ash was transported from the plant when it was operational through an underground drain to this site. The three power units of 60 MW each were started in 1974, 1976 and 1981. While the ash was available free of cost, around 200 to 250 trucks were engaged round the clock to remove it as soon as the permission was granted.
JB Sharma, Regional Officer, Pollution Control Board, Faridabad, says that permission had been granted to use fly ash in the construction of the KGP and KMP expressways. A notice was being served both on the HPCGCL and the contractor engaged in the highway construction work. However, the permission to use the fly ash in highway construction was given only for a limited time during 2015-16, he adds.
Air pollution in villages, colonies
"Several lakh tonnes of fly ash dumped near Sector 49 in Faridabad is causing severe air pollution in more than six colonies and villages. It was dumped by the erstwhile Thermal Power Plant operated by Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited, a subsidiary of the Haryana Government, several years ago." Jitender Bhadana, activist of NGO Save Aravalli
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