Himachal Kisan Sabha shows solidarity with farmers affected by factory pollution
Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha showed their solidarity with the cause of chemical factory pollution affected Farmers of Una district. A team of Himachal Kisan Sabha visited Una district. State President of Kisan Sabha, led by Dr. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar visited pollution affected Mazara of Santokhgharh of Una district to Malkana area of- Indora in Kangra district this morning. While holding a meeting of farmers affected by chemical pollution Dr Tanwar appealed to the Farmers to unite for solving the problem. He assured the farmers that this issue would be taken up with the State Government and Pollution Control Board soon and pressure would be build on concerned authority for early solution as soon as possible. Dr Tanwar said that a chemical (PCL) industry located on the border of Himachal and Punjab is causing massive soil and water pollution as harmful untreated, partly treated factory liquid waste was being released. The harmful chemical sever has contaminated the ground water sources and is also polluting the water tables.
This industry was earlier run by the Punjab government in the name of Punjab Alkali Chemical Limited (PACL), but the previous Congress government sold this industry to private hands. Now the industry is running under the name of Promo Chemical Limited (PCL) and chemicals like Caustic Soda, HCL Hydro Chloric, Chlorine Gas, Sodium Chloride, HYPO, C.P.W are manufactured in the firm but its liquid waste is being released recklessly. Now the land of the local people has reached on the verge of becoming barren. Dr Tanwar was apprised by the Farmers that chemical industry is releasing its waste in the pit without scientific treatment in the STP. The Industrial waste is being mixed with harmful chemical going directly in the ground water through reverse draining. The ground water of this area is not fit for drinking, nor is it useful for irrigation because. Affected villagers stated that chemical pollutants are dissolved in a large amount in ground water tables which is being used by villagers to irrigate their crops with this tube well water spoiling the crop moreover water is not drinkable at all. Villagers complain that apart from water pollution harmful gas leaks often from this industry is causing air pollution and creating major health complications to residents.
About 150 acres of land and a population of 30,000 are being affected by this problem in about 15 villages of the area. If the problem is not address immediately it is also likely to render more adverse effect on health of children and leakage of chemical waste and its contamination into water and food chain through animal and crops may retard their mental and physical development, Dr Tanwar warned.
