Parala/Shimla: The HPMC-run fruit processing plant in Parala Apple Mandi, has become a source of environmental hazard for the nearby villages and Giri river, the drinking water source of Shimla city.
The plant, which should be a hub for processing apples, is now better known for spewing toxic waste and pollution into the villages and Giri River, a crucial water source for Shimla city.
Local residents are living in a nightmare, with ''poisonous gases' filling the air and sewage/effluent pouring unchecked into the water stream.
"It has become a hell here, whenever HPMC runs its processing plant we heave to breathe toxic smog being emitted by the plant as they use low-quality fuel to run the plant", complained residents.
"You find the entire area covered under a thick blanket of smog here, they resented.
HPMC has spent crores of rupees on this plant, but the question is being raised why it has deployed outdated technology of burning low quality fuel to run the plant. The AG audit must take cognizance.
"Now there is foamy water flowing into the Giri river below the plant. HPMC and pollution board must be hold accountable for this".
Why the plant is not being run by electricity or other non polluting energy sources, they questioned.
A high-level team led by Shimla Mayor Surendra Chauhan, HPMC officials, and SJPNL representatives (responsible for supplying water to Shimla) and pollution board officials visited the Giri river near Pralla and Giri water pumping station downstream.
The scene was alarming—effluent/ sewage from the HPMC plant was found flowing straight into the river that has turned it foamy.
We have brought the pollution issue to the notice of the Pollution board last year but to no avail, Sharma said. Now the foamy water in the Giri river has exposed another level of pollution caused by the HPMC Plant, he said.
Absolutely it's a public health emergency. ".I wonder if the PCB has ever itself taken any air emissions sample of plant stact, said an expert.
HPMC swiftly plugged the sewage treatment plant downstream, but the damage is done, but the air sample from the stack is not collected so far.
Ever since , the plant has been burning low-quality fuel, releasing toxic fumes that make life unbearable for the locals here said Suresh Sharma, who runs a Cafe resort near here.
The air is thick with poisonous gases and smog, making it hard to breathe and raising serious health concerns, he said
On top of that, the effluent from the plant has been contaminating the Giri water, which feeds directly into the water supply for Shimla, residents resented.
SJPNL and the municipal corporation, however, continue lifting water from Giri despite knowing about the sullage effluent, raising serious questions about their priorities.
The pollution control board has taken samples from the Giri river for testing, with results are yet to be awaited, said member secretary pollution board, Anil Joshi.
But in the meantime, the fact that contaminated water is still being pumped to Shimla is deeply disturbing.
The residents of Parala and nearby villages have been suffering for too long. It's high time that HPMC is held accountable for this reckless pollution, and strict measures are taken to stop this environmental destruction.
The once pristine Giri River is now a dumping ground, and the toxic fumes from the HPMC plant are making life unbearable for the people who call this area home.
How long will it take for the authorities to wake up and realize that this isn't just an inconvenience – it's a public health emergency, question residents.
Let's see what action regulator take for this violation ?
If they can penalise a farmer for discarding fresh apple in to a non perennial stream without any field inspection and taking sample then why not HPMC for releasing untreated effluent in to a drinking water source, questioned an expert.
