Acting on the directions of the National Green Tribunal, a team from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reached Pal stone crusher in Halduchaud on the weekend. The team collected samples of water and the chemical ash being dumped 20 metres deep in the ground. Statements of the people residing nearby were also recorded.
It will be recalled that activist Gauri Maulekhi had filed an application in the NGT stating that toxic ash and chemicals from the Century Pulp and Paper Mill was being dumped in pits excavated by the stone crusher. This was causing contamination of the ground water and air pollution which in turn were proving detrimental to the health of those living nearby. Additionally, the contamination was subsequently ending up in the Ganga river. In the hearing of this application on May 22, the Central Pollution Control Board had been directed to send its team to inspect the site in question and conduct a physical verification to ascertain the pollution.
On Saturday morning, a team of Central Pollution Control Board officials reached Pal stone crusher in Halduchaud along with officials of the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board and the applicant Gauri Maulekhi. Under the directions of the officials, a JCB was used to uncover the pits and samples of the chemical ash and water were collected from these sites for laboratory analysis. The team members then questioned the people living nearby about the pollution related activities. The inspection team comprised CPCB scientist Kamlesh Singh, UEPPCB regional officer, Haldwani, DK Joshi, assistant environment engineer Sunil Kumar and the applicant Gauri Maulekhi.
It is pertinent to mention here that even locals had been complaining about the dumping of toxic waste by the mill causing trees to dry out in the area and health problems resulting from the ground water, soil and air contamination. However, the local authorities including the UEPPCB had turned a blind eye to this violation of regulations. It was only after the directions of the NGT that action was taken to at least ascertain the illegal dumping and resulting environmental pollution which the locals and environmentalists had been complaining about for quite some time.