Water of five villages near Bandhwari plant to be tested

Gurgaon: The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), a central agency, on Monday started the collection of groundwater, soil and air samples from five villages near the Bandhwari landfill to carry out tests to determine contamination.
The institute is collecting samples from Bandhwari, Gwalpahari, Baliawas, Mandi and Kot villages after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued a direction to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in this regard last month. CPCB handed over the responsibility to NEERI.
The NGT had come down heavily on the Haryana government and directed authorities to carry out a damage impact study and test groundwater samples in Bandhwari and other surrounding areas for contamination due to the landfill.
Interestingly, apart from testing groundwater, the institute will analyse bio-aerosols — minute biological particles — in the air and soil. “Bio-aerosols around a landfill site act as a source of microbiological air pollution. There have been many studies indicating presence of bio-aerosols near municipal waste landfill sites. We’re going to analyse samples not just for groundwater contamination, but also air pollution and soil contamination,” a NEERI official said. The institute is going to collect groundwater samples from several tubewells in the villages.
According to some studies, exposure to bio-aerosols is associated with a wide range of health hazards, including infectious diseases, acute toxic effects, allergies and cancer.
This is the first time that groundwater of Gwal Pahari, Kot, Baliawas and Mandi will be tested. Vaishali Rana Chandra, an environment activist, who requested groundwater testing of these four villages, said, “I am glad that the authorities have addressed our demands. The situation is quite alarming not just in Bandhwari but many villages in the immediate vicinity of the landfill.” She also requested the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to carry out groundwater testing of the four villages.
“Every time the issue is raised in the green tribunal, the court directs authorities to carry out tests. Many tests have been conducted in the last five years. CPCB, the Centre’s top body, itself termed the groundwater of Bandhwari and Mangar unfit for drinking in 2017. However, it seems that the green tribunal didn’t find CPCB’s reports reliable enough. If we continue to carry out tests like this, the landfill will cause further damage and we will never come to a conclusion to work out a solution,” said Vivek Kamboj, who filed a petition to NGT over reallocation of the Bandhwari waste treatment plant from the Aravalis.
More than 1,600 tonnes of mixed waste is dumped at the Bandhwari waste treatment plant daily.