The Tughlakabad Inland Container Depot (ICD) will be relocated and a biodiversity park will come up at this place. Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the land owning agency, is also mulling to shift the landfill adjoining the ICD and take that as part of the biodiversity park. A DDA official said that the plan is in the initial stage as land is being identified to re-locate ICD. “Since the depot is situated at ridge area, the agency will relocate it. The new location of the depot will be in Delhi only,” the official added.
Tughlakabad ICD was in news recently after leakage of poisonous chemical chloromethyl pyridine while containers were being shifted. The toxic fumes had affected 450 girl students of adjoining Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya. The sanitary landfill next to the ICD is another concern for the residents as it poses health hazards to the localities.
The Pioneer on Monday visited the site and spoke with workers at ICD, Tughlakabad. When asked about the exposure to chemical component to workers on ICD premise, they said, “We have no idea. We only know that sensitive content is transferred here.”
Environment experts also claim that the existence of ICD in a highly dense area is a big threat to environment and resident as well. National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also sent notices to the ICD on violating the Environment Protection Act 1986.
“Hundreds of trucks loaded with hazardous chemical could be seen entering the ICD. Residents and workers who are living and working in harmful environment are unaware of levels of toxicity and exposure of it,” said an environmental expert.
“It is important to recall an incident, when the leakage of toxic element caused serious respiratory problems to school girls. Why are schools and residential areas situated near the depotIJ Which agency is ensuring the safety measures of transferring the chemicalsIJ” asked Anil Sood, and environment lawyer and activist.
According to Sood, there are rules of Hazardous waste and Solid Management (HSM) division, Ministry of Environment and Forest for Management of chemical disasters. “As per the rules gazetted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 on hazardous substances, there is a need to help, create and sustain infrastructure in the States for implementation of rules for handing and transferring such contents,” the environment lawyer added.
Elaborating further about system in place in other countries on chemical handling, another environmentalist Gopal Krishna said that India has no Chemical Inventory System (CIS).
“Countries like China and the UK have a set protocol for CIS where the illustrations on dealing and toxicity about the poison substance mentioned, however, In India, it is missing,” said Krishna.
