Groundwater pollution: HC seeks action plan from HP pollution control board

Shimla: Alarmed over the level of groundwater pollution detected at depths between 30 and 80 meters below ground level in Baddi in Solan district, the high court of Himachal Pradesh has directed the state pollution control board to place before the court what action it proposes to take to deal with this issue in the Baddi Barotiwala Industrial Area.
A division bench of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Satyen Vaidya passed the directions after the submission of a report prepared by the IIT Mandi on this issue. During the hearing on Thursday, additional advocate general Gobind Korla had placed before the court the report of IIT, Mandi, indicating the level of groundwater pollution detected in Baddi at depths between 30 and 80 meters below ground level.
The report warns of serious consequences on account of the presence of carcinogenic chemicals in the aquifer caused by such contamination causing potential human health risk. The court has taken this status report on record.
The court has also directed the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority to consider the said report and come up with proposals to deal with the menace of groundwater contamination on the next date of hearing on July 16.
During the hearing on April 24, the attention of court was drawn to a govt order issued on Oct 27, 2010 by the state govt for scientific collection and disposal of sewerage and industrial effluents and wastes in Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh areas of Solan district. On this, the court had directed the respondents to file a status report on the implementation of this govt order on the next date of hearing on June 17. During the hearing held on June 17, the court had directed the deputy advocate general to obtain the report from IIT Mandi with regard to the groundwater pollution at Baddi-Barotiwala Industrial Area.