FEROZEPORE/VIKRAMDITYA SHARMA
Members of “Sanjha Morcha” have demanded strict action against the administration of the ethanol plant of Malbros International at Village Mansurwala in Zira sub-division. It is pertinent to mention here that CPCB in its report submitted to National Green Tribunal, has made sensational revealings and had found the plant administration responsible for causing damage to groundwater and surrounding environment.
In its instructions to the PPCB, the Central Pollution Control Board has strictly mentioned about the irregularities and violations made by the plant administration and had instructed PPCB to issue appropriate directions to the unit with respect to necessary remedial measures for the decontamination of the affected site and compliance with the violations observed in the inspection report. CPCB also directed PPCB to undertake detailed environmental site assessment by engaging a professional agency remediation of contaminated groundwater & soil and submit the report within 60 days. Based on the detailed site assessment, PPCB shall ensure that the Unit submit a DPR for remediation of ground water contaminated area in around the premises and execute the work in the supervision of PPCB in a time bound manner. As per the instructions of the CPCB, the plant administration shall bear all the remediation expanses.(SUBHEAD)
Notably, the CPCB team had visited the village Mansurwala and nearby villages in January this year and had checked the water of 29 borewells of the area nearby the plant. Surprisingly in the report, out of these 29 borewells, 12 were found yielding water with unpleasant odour whereas another 5 borewells had grey/blackish water. Even TDS, Boron and Sulphate were found in high concentration beyond acceptable limits.
The CPCB report also hinted reverse boring which was till now denied by the plant administration.
Roman Brar one of the members of “Sanjha Morcha” said that the plant administration, due to their lust, destroyed the precious groundwater with the help of the bores. “Few of the bores were present at the time when the plant administration had purchased the land however few of the bores were dug by the plant administration which were used for reverse boring. “, said Brar.
” The situation which we are in today is due to poor functioning of Punjab Pollution Control Board officials, those officials who gave NOCs to the Malbros plants should be considered as murderers as they are responsible for the deaths of the people who died due to polluted water in our region”, said Brar adding that it is the high time that the government should take action against these corrupt officials who are damaging the pious air, water and environment of Punjab at other places also.
