The Times of India  04.09.2010

KOLKATA: For years, toxic metals and chemicals were dumped in the open by fertilizer, pesticide and chemical plants. Bengal, which led the industrialization drive at the turn of the 20th century, also became the backyard for hazardous waste. Fumes from these illegal dump sites poisoned the air. Leaching chemicals turned the soil toxic. Groundwater was contaminated.

Now, with legal glare on these waste lands and stricter norms requiring the government to act, the environment department has embarked on an ambitious clean-up drive that not aims to neutralize hazardous sites.

The $28.9 million project, funded by World Bank, includes capping the state's largest municipal solid waste dump at Dhapa, Kolkata, and research studies on health hazards from exposure to metals.

"There are many orphan sites or toxic dumps that no one accepts responsibility for. In the absence of regulation and treatment facility, industrial waste was disposed at municipal solid waste dump sites. This project will help turn the clock back and clean up the mess," said West Bengal Pollution Control Board chief scientist Dipak Chakraborty, who has been designated deputy director of capacity building for industrial pollution management project.

The World Bank is sponsoring a similar project in Andhra Pradesh. The two states were chosen as they had displayed intent in tackling the issue following a Supreme Court order in 2003, say sources. Of the 640 hazardous units identified in 2005, 140 were found to be non-compliant and were taken to task. Some were shut down by the PCB.

In 2006, a common hazardous waste treatment storage and disposal facility was created in Haldia followed by an incinerator plant the next year. Though a Hazardous Waste (Management Handling Rule), 1989, was enacted, no one really complied, leading to a PIL in Supreme Court in 1995 by Research Foundation for Science Technology Natural Resources Policy.

The SC appointed a committee of experts, which found that there was no hazardous waste management in the country. This led to amendments in the Environment Protection Act, 1986, in 2000 and 2003. The rule was thoroughly revised to Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling & Trans-Boundary Management Rules), 2008.

"One of the decisions taken by the court was to identify illegal dump sites and find remedies. In Bengal, the National Productivity Council was appointed to do the survey and they identified eight sites in Howrah and Hooghly. However, remedial measures were not taken up. The World Bank project will attempt to make these sites inert so that they are not harmful to the environment any longer and do the same with more sites identified through remote sensing technology," said Shyamal Adhikari, senior environmental engineer at the waste management cell of PCB.

The eight sites are Domjur and Nibra in Howrah, Ashalata Brick Kiln, Sarkar Weight Bridge, Minu Weight Bridge, Zenith Timber Product, East India Flour Mill and Chakundi in Hooghly. The cell will scan industrial zones in Asansol-Durgapur belt in Burdwan, Kalyani in Nadia, Haldia in East Midnapore and Siliguri in Darjeeling to identify more sites.

Incidentally, all 127 municipal dump sites in the state are illegal and could be laden with industrial waste, particularly those with industries in the vicinity.

"Each site that is identified will be examined to determine the present condition and status. Thereafter, feasibility study will be carried out to check whether it can be treated on site or off it. If it is the latter, the waste will have to be excavated and transported to the facility at Haldia," he said.

There are two other components to the project. The first will involve study on how the contamination from an organic or inorganic dump site spreads. Scientific models will be used to determine the nature and spread of toxicity. The second component comprises capping eight hectare at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation dumpyard in Dhapa. This site will be sealed in such a manner that does not cause leaching during rains.