Villagers request HSPCB for groundwater test as trash grows in Bandhwari plant

Gurugram: Residents of four villages that includes Gwalpahari, Baliawas, Mandi and Ko— living close to the Bandhwari waste treatment plant have requested the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to carry out groundwater testing in their areas.

The villagers fear that the groundwater — the only source of water for them — has been polluted like it was found to have been in three other villages — Bandhwari, Mangar (Faridabad) and Dera (Delhi) where tests were carried out earlier.

"As groundwater contamination by leachate has increased manifold in the past two years, we are sure that all surrounding areas, including my village (Gwal Pahari), has been affected. The problem is that most of the residents still rely on groundwater for consumption. We, therefore, demand groundwater testing at the earliest," said a villager from Gwalpahari, who did not wish to be named.

The dumping of more than 1,600 tonnes of mixed waste at the plant, every day, creates a stream of dirty black water, also known as leachate.

Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) came down heavily on the Haryana government and directed authorities to carry out damage impact study and test groundwater samples in Bandhwari and other surrounding areas.

Kuldeep Singh, regional officer, HSPCB (North), said, "We have forwarded the concerns raised by the residents to the CPCB, and the MCG commissioner who can help analyse the previous records (before the plant came up) and present situation. A detailed study has to be carried out by the CPCB, after the NGT directions."

At present more than 1,000 tonnes of garbage from Gurugram and Faridabad is discarded daily at the area that is nestled in the green belt of Aravallis. Based on the proposal, the plant will treat more than 100 kiloliters of leachate daily. It will be set up the Chinese company Eco green that has also been entrusted with the responsibility of recycling the waste in the area into the creation of power and other useful forms. As the layout of the projects, works may begin soon as claimed by certain public officials.

Recently in the public meeting, the deputy commissioner of Gurugram instructed officials to ensure that all of the city's bulk waste generators segregate waste on site and have their own composting units.

He also instructed that this model should be replicated on an industrial scale for large manufacturing units, as well as at a panchayat level throughout Gurugram district.