chromium poisoning of groundwater in gurgaon

Chandigarh, January 27: The Haryana State Pollution Control Board detected ground water contamination containing excessive amount of Hexavalent chromium and total chromium in Village Sehraul and surrounding areas in June 2009.
While giving this information here today, a spokesman of Haryana State Pollution Control Board said that the villagers of Village Sehraul in their complaint mentioned that M/s Munjal Showa Ltd., P. No. 9-11, Sector-18, Gurgaon had contaminated the sub soil water and the underground water has become unfit for human consumption. A technical team of the Board carried out inspection and also collected sample of M/s Munjal Showa Ltd, Gurgaon, tubewell water of Village Sehraul. The analysis reports revealed that the tubewell water of Village Sehraul contained chromium ranging from 38.12 – 80 milligram per litre against the permissible limit of Nil.
He said that even the tubewell water of M/s Munjal Showa Ltd, Gurgaon were found to be containing Hexavalent chromium as high as 10.87 milligram per litre. The samples of Rain Water Harvesting System were also found containing total chromium as high as 17.517 milligram per litre. Based on the above investigation a show cause notice under section 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 was issued to the unit on 11.7.2009 and the unit was directed to submit remediation plan alongwith performance bank guarantee of Rs. 5 crore.
The spokesman further informed that M/s Munjal Showa Ltd., Gurgaon submitted the remediation plan alongwith bank guarantee of Rs. 5 crore but the remediation plan was not found in order and deficiencies were conveyed to the unit. The unit was given repeated opportunities to submit proper remediation plan for removal of Hexavalent chromium from the underground water in Village Sehraul and surrounding affected areas along with PERT chart but the unit did not comply with the directions given by the Board. The HSPCB again deputed a technical team for inspection. Technical team inspected the unit on 30.11.09 and also collected samples of tubewells of the unit and tubewells of Village Sehraul along with effluent discharged by the unit. From analysis of samples, it was revealed that unit had not installed additional Effluent Treatment Plant of 1000 Kilo litre per day capacity and also did not submit time bound remediation plan with PERT chart.
He said that the samples collected by the technical team of four tubewells and two soil samples of M/s Munjal Showa Ltd. were found containing excessive Hexavalent chromium. The tubewells of Village Sehraul were also containing excessive Hexavalent chromium. Although the present discharge of the unit through outlet of Effluent Treatment Plant were not found containing Hexavalent chromium. The team reported that the unit had in the past discharged untreated effluent containing Hexavalent chromium through borewells which has resulted in ground water contamination in the surrounding areas as is evident from the results of tubewell samples and soil samples of M/s Munjal Showa Ltd., Gurgaon. No concrete steps were taken by the unit for removal of Hexavalent chromium from the underground water of the surrounding affected area. Consequently the unit was closed by the Board on 31.12.2009.
The spokesman said that M/s Munjal Showa Ltd, submitted an undertaking on 6.1.2010 along with affidavit giving time bound action plan for remediation of under ground water for removal of Hexavalent chromium alongwith PERT chart and time schedule to complete all the work related to remediation upto 31.3.2012. The Board did not accept the proposal of the unit and directed them vide letter dated 7.1.2010 to give stage wise progress indicators to be achieved and to prepare PERT chart and verifiable progress indicators in the form of an affidavit for removal of Hexavalent chromium in the underground water of surrounding affected area.
He said that the unit submitted revised PERT chart with verifiable progress indicators along with remediation plan for removal of Hexavalent chromium vide their affidavit/ undertaking dated 8.1.2010 with time targeted plan to remove Hexavalent chromium 25% by 31.3.2010, 50% by 30.6.2010, 75% by 30.9.2010 and 100% by 31.12.2010 along with under taking for proportionate forfeiture of bank guarantee of Rs. 5 crore in case of non-compliance. M/s Munjal Showa Ltd. was also directed to supply fresh drinking water to the people of Village Sehraul and affected surrounding areas through tankers till the Hexavalent chromium is removed from the under ground water of affected surrounding areas.
Based on the above undertaking and recommendations of the Regional Officer Gurgaon, the closure order was suspended with certain conditions including above said directions. The unit was also suggested to contact the Central Pollution Control Board for adopting latest advanced technology for removal of Hexavalent chromium from the underground water of affected surrounding area. The latest technology of injecting micro- organisms for reduction of Hexavalent chromium in underground water had been tried by the Central Pollution Control Board at Kanpur where such contamination was found, in consultation with US EPA. The trained micro-organisms were procured from Japan. These micro organisms have the potential to reduce Hexavalent Chromium in the sub soil water. Continuous supply of water to the villagers of Village Sehraul is being ensured by the Board besides compliance of above directions issued to the unit.
The Board is taking stringent action against defaulter units in all such cases and ordered closure of 197 units under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and 212 units under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 during the year 2008-09 and more than 105 units under the Water Act and 80 units under the Air Act during 2009-10. Haryana State Pollution Control Board is endeavoring for providing clean and pollution free environment to the citizen of the State, he added.

Gurgaon and carbon emissions

The city of Gurgaon participated in the project called "the Roadmap of South Asian Cities and Local Governments for the post 2012 global climate agreement" along with 53 other South Asian cities.

Of the total cities participated in the project, 40 were from India and 13 were from the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The initiative was implemented by ICLEI – South Asia and was supported by the British High Commission, New Delhi.

Under the project, the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon shared the information related to energy consumption in various sectors, such as- street lighting, transportation, water pumping system, residential, commercial, industrial, etc. under the jurisdiction of Gurgaon Municipal Corporation. ICLEI -South Asia analysed this information to arrive at the City Energy Status Report, which indicates energy consumption by considered service sectors and resultant carbon emissions.

A similar exercise has been carried out with 52 other South Asian cities leading to the preparation of the Carbon Emission Inventory of the 53 South Asian cities.

In June this year, at the sub national workshop in Bhopal, ICLEI South Asia discussed the analysis with the Municipal Corporation.

The analysis estimated the city’s total carbon emissions to be 251626 tonnes of CO2e. Corporaiton activities result in 6889.39 tonnes and community activities contribute 2544736.61 tonnes of CO2e emission. The per capita CO2e emission in Gurgaon is 2.13 tonnes.
ICLEI South Asia discussed action plans covering energy efficient & design based street lighting, efficient transport management, energy efficient, water pumping system, waste management & enhancement of urban livability and sustainability, that if implemented, will facilities in further reducing carbon emissions, in the city.

The Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon, Mr. R.K.Khullar thanked ICLEI South Asia and the British High Commission for studying and analyzing their City’s emissions and indicating avenues to reduce carbon emissions in the city. He expressed his happiness at representing Gurgaon city at COP 15 as a part of the South Asia delegation and looks forward to bringing back enriching experiences to share with the city.

Formally releasing the analysis and findings of the project at a press conference, Mr.Khullar said that the detailed information was available with the Gurgaon Municipal Corporation and with ICLEI South Asia, which can be approached for further details.

Under this project the energy status for all other project cities was also being released. Carbon emission status of 40 cities across India would be known to the world if the press and media reported the release of these reports, he added.

Mr.Khullar said that climate change was the most evident environment, social and economic problem facing the world today. He said, "We have to move from a high energy-use, wasteful economic model to one that conserves energy and minimizes waste. In other words we have to be more efficient."

Given India’s critical role in the upcoming COP 15 at Copenhagen, GMC’s participation in this project might be seen as a voluntary step in the right direction towards reducing global carbon emissions, he added.

mou with management development institute

Dec 11- Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon and launch "Bal Urja Rakshak Mission" during State level function of National Energy Conservation Day 2008 to be held at the Apparel Export Promotion Council, Gurgaon on December 18.
While stating this here today, a spokesman of HAREDA said that the MoU would be signed to work jointly for capacity building and training in the areas of renewable energy, energy conservation, climate change and sustainable development. The expertise of the MDI in these areas would be of immense help for building capacity of various stake holders in the State, he added.
He said that Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda would be the chief guest at the function. Member Parliament and Chairman, MDI, Mr N.K.Singh, Chief Secretary, Haryana, Mr Dharam Vir and Director General Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India, Dr. Ajay Mathur would be the guests of honour.
He said that on this occasion, the Chief Minister Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda would also launch Bal Urja Rakshak Mission under School Energy Education Outreach Programme of HAREDA. The Mission had been worked out by HAREDA and the School of Energy Management, MDI to implement a focused programme to bring about attitudinal and behavioral transformation amongst the students of eighth and ninth classes.
He said that State level Energy Conservation Awards, prizes for the State Level Energy Conservation Essay Writing Competition and Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Quiz would also be given away. Also, the Hindi version of the Energy Conservation Hand Book for building sector would be released.
The function would be organised by the Haryana Department of Renewable Energy, which is the State designated agency for energy conservation activities in the State, he added.

Illegal Mining in Aravalis and Polybags

September 19 – Haryana Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Mrs. Kiran Choudhry today directed the Regional Officers of Haryana Pollution Control Board (HPCB) to constitute a committee to keep strict check on illegal mining at Aravalli range and to submit a video graphed report within 30 days to the Board. Mrs. Choudhry while presiding over a meeting asked the officers of the HPCB to take strict actions against those who were involved in illegal mining and regular reports of violations and prosecutions should be submitted to the Board.The Minister said that mining at Aravalli range is a serious threat to the environment and the violations should be dealt with strictness. She said that the Regional Officers of HPCB should properly take up the cases of violations and prosecutions should be launched immediately against the violators. She said that it was learnt that in some districts, farm land were being utilized for purposes other than agriculture which is a violation according to the Aravalli notification. She said that it had been directed to all the Deputy Commissioners in the state to abide by the Performa prepared by the HPCB for any land use. She directed the officers to write the concerned departments to complete the work of Sewerage Treatment Plant at Panipat in a time bound manner. The Minister said that regular samples should be collected from the cess pools and should be sent to district authorities regularly. She said that an inventory should be prepared of the industries which were functional without Treatment Plants in district Panipat. The Minister said that all the information regarding the prosecution and directions should be made available on the website of the HPCB. She said that the crushers functional at Gurgaon should be closed immediately and prompt actions should be launched against them. Mrs. Choudhry directed the officers to regularly visit Eco-Clubs and hold activities in accordance with the calendar issued by the HPCB. She said that Eco-Clubs are the arms of pollution wing and to enhance their working, more financial assistance would be provided to them. She said that a State Level function would be organized in the first week of November wherein all the Eco-Clubs functioning in the state would participate. She directed all the Regional Officers to organise regular competitions and functions at their respective districts for the members of the Eco-Clubs. The Minister said that hoardings carrying warnings, on the ban of usage and manufacturing of plastic products below 30 microns should be put across the districts and on the major road sides. She asked the officers to prepare a list of plastic manufacturers and submit it to the headquarters within a week. She directed the Board officers to start penalising the manufacturers of plastic products and spread awareness regarding the usage of plastic, through weekly advertisements in the newspapers. She said that people should be made aware that the State has put a ban on the usage of plastic which do not adhere to the norms specified by the Board.