Clean water is fundamental right of every individual. But citizens of Nagpur are not deriving this right due to apathy of Government and administration, due to which whole generation is pushed towards a huge crisis.
People of Nagpur are consuming poisonous water which contains toxic metals like mercury, arsenic, aluminium, lithium, antimony, boron, fluoride, iron, manganese, magnesium, lead, etc., which contribute to serious illnesses like cancer, cardiac arrest, respiratory diseases, etc.
a study jointly conducted by Centre for Sustainable Development (CFSD), Nagpur; Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Pune; and ASAR Social Impact Advisors Pvt Ltd., recently.
The study titled ‘Polluted Power: How Koradi and Khaparkheda Thermal Power Stations are Impacting the Environment’, has found surface and ground water contamination in areas in the vicinity of Koradi and Khaparkheda thermal power plants.
Koradi and Khaparkheda TPS’ ash ponds are discharging effluents directly into local streams and rivers, including the Kolar and Kanhan river.
For the study, expert team of Qualichem Laboratories, Nagpur collected water samples from 25 locations, including surface and ground water across Kanhan and Kolar river and treatment facilities.
Almost every water sample, in every season, including monsoon, failed to pass the standards set for drinking water by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and other relevant standards, the study reveals.
The study has found several water samples with toxic elements like mercury, arsenic, lithium, aluminium, etc., exceeding the safe limits by 10-15 times.
Mercury is among the most toxic substances known to mankind and arsenic is associated with cancer of liver and bladder, it stated.
“Orange City Water (OCW), the authority to provide potable water to Nagpur city :
“We initiated the study to know the long history of pollution due to these power plants and their related infrastructure like ash ponds and to highlight the complete failure of the official agencies in addressing the problem,” said Leena Buddhe, co-author and Director, CFSD.
“Orange City Water (OCW), the authority to provide potable water to Nagpur city, has recently performed the basic water treatment.
The heavy metals that contain in the water persist and people of Nagpur are consuming the toxic water without any knowledge about its effect on them,” said Shripad Dharmadhikari, co-author and Co-ordinator, Manthan Adhyayan Kendra.
“The heavy metals in the water have serious implications for their well-being as the pollutants are known to have many adverse impacts on human and cattle health,” said Dr Sameer Arbat, Interventional Pulmonologist, One Healthcare India.
A questionnaire-based survey was conducted in 21 villages. The survey findings revealed that the population in 18 out of 21 villages surveyed is affected due to fly ash deposited in the water bodies.
“Mahagenco must take immediate steps to stop the pollution, especially the discharge of fly ash in local water bodies, and the dispersal of dry fly ash as dust and particles, in a time-bound manner,” the study recommended.
It also stated that Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) must immediately put in place a mechanism to monitor this plan and must take strict and quick action, including suspending the work of the power plant in case pollution persists.