Gujarat Pollution Control Board joint report found groundwater worse than treated effluent

A report of groundwater pollution in Luna village accessed by an environment NGO has once again pointed to the alarming rate of groundwater contamination in the industrial belt in Padra in Vadodara.

The report accessed through RTI found that that the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) level in groundwater was an alarming 2225mg/I and 27222mg/I in October and December 2018. It should be noted that even in treated effluent water the accepted levels of COD is 250 mg/I. For ground water the level should be nil.

The report was a result of joint investigation carried out by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS), Farmers Action Group (FAG) and affected farmers in October and December 2018.

It further found that the TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) was 10172 mg/l and 11188 mg/l while the BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) was 198 mg/l and 72 mg/l (26.12.2018) respectively for the two months. The accepted limit of TDS and BOD even in treated effluent water is 5000 mg/I and 100 mg/I. In ground water the accepted limit for TDS and BOD is 300mg/I and 2 mg/I respectively

Rohit Prajapati of Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti said that the issue was first raised in the year 1999.

"Even after all these years, the pollution continues unbated. The fact that the groundwater level is so bad that it is even worse than the norms set for treated effluent goes to show how the contamination continues," said Prajapati.

He said that the they have already issued a notice to the concerned authorities including the chief secretary and the pollution control bodies for contempt of notice.

"A ruling of the Supreme Court had clearly stated that polluting industries that fail to meet effluent norms had to be shut down. But nothing of that sort has happened. The report that we accessed through RTI shows what inaction by the concerned authorities have done to the ground water on which the farmers and locals are dependent," said Prajapati.

KC Mistry, member secretary, GPCB said that they have carried out assesemnt and remediation actions are already being taken. "We are not denying that htere is no pollution but this matter is almost a decade old. We have already directed the companies to pump the water and treat it," said Mistry. He, however, said that the groundwater is brown in colour but COD levels are not that high.

It should be noted that PSS, FAG and the villagers have petitioned since 1999 against the polluting industries seeking stringent legal actions against the errant companies who blatantly discharge untreated chemical effluent.

What is interesting is that several reports, including some by the state government organisations, about the level of pollution of underwater resources by the industries had been brought to the notice of authorities but no action was taken.

EXPERT OPINION

“We are not denying that there is no pollution. However, this matter is almost a decade old. We have already directed the companies to pump the water and treat it,” says KC Mistry, member secretary, GPCB says