HSPCB: Water of five villages near Bandhwari landfill unfit for drinking

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, May 19

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), in its latest report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has highlighted that the groundwater near the Bandhwari landfill is unfit for drinking. Residents of five villages are dependent on it.

Report submitted

• On the directions of the NGT, the HSPCB had collected samples of groundwater near the landfill and submitted a report to the green body earlier this week.
• Groundwater of Mandi village of Delhi, Bandhwari, Baliyawas and Gwal Pahari of Gurugram and Mangar village of Faridabad is found unfit for drinking.

On the directions of the NGT, the HSPCB had collected samples of groundwater near the landfill and submitted a report to the green body earlier this week.

Groundwater of Mandi village of Delhi, Bandhwari, Baliyawas and Gwal Pahari of Gurugram and Mangar village of Faridabad is found unfit for drinking.

In his report, Kuldeep Singh, Regional Officer, HSPCB, said water samples from 17 borewells installed in these five villages were taken and a high amount of total dissolved solids (TDS), calcium carbonate and nitrate was found in the water.

“The amount of TDS and nitrate was high in a water sample collected from the borewell installed at the government school in Baliyawas village. The water sample collected from Lalaram’s house at Bandhwari village has failed the test. The amount of TDS and nitrate was also found high in the water sample collected from the borewell at Teen Murti Hanuman temple on the Gurugram-Faridabad road. Besides, the amount of TDS, nitrate and calcium carbonate was found high in the water of borewell at the Sansad Shaheed petrol pump,” said the HSPCB report.

“Water samples collected from Bandhwari village, Anant Lal, Pawan and Vipin Kalra’s houses, a farm house at Mangar village in Faridabad, government school in Baliyawas, Ram Temple in Gwal Pahari, the police station at Mangar and Mandi village failed the test,” read the report.

These villages don’t get water supply and are dependent on borewells.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department has highlighted that the Bandhwari landfill is becoming a threat to the forest cover. It said the Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, has been flagged in this regard on a number of occasions.

The civic body has allegedly blocked the forest pathways with solid waste, obstructing the Forest Department’s task to recharge ponds.

It has also been highlighted that leachate is flowing in the forest area from the right side of the landfill and it is contaminating the ponds, which are a source of drinking water for animals.