Press Release : 08-April-2004

Eco Friends organises a meet on the issue of ground water contamination in Noraiakheda area of Kanpur

Noraiakheda is located in the industrial area of the city. The area assumes significance on account of location of chemical factories and its dense population, dominated by poor and landless people who are most vulnerable to health risks. Noraiakheda has been used for years as waste disposal site by the Basic Chrome Sulphate (BCS) manufacturing units, which supply BCS to chrome tanning units of leather industry. This has lead to contamination of groundwater of Noraiakheda with Chromium, which is a known carcinogen. The residents of the area are forced to drink this contaminated water, which has been found to be highly unsafe in the absence of any alternative provision.

Noraiakheda is spread in a 3 square kilometer area, which is surrounded with several industries of different nature. These industries include Kanpur Pesticides, LML & its ancillary units, Dye factories, Thumps Up, Starlinger, and several lead battery units. “There are some industries, which are injecting their raw effluent into the groundwater and many do not have waste treatment plants,” say the residents who work in these factories.

The main source of drinking water for the residents of Noraiakheda is ground water. Some of the houses have installed submersible and jet pumps to extract the groundwater. They’re using the groundwater from the depth of 60 to 150 feet, though the groundwater of the area up to 350 feet has been reported by Central Pollution Control Board to be contaminated with high concentration of chromium, iron, fluoride, coliform and pesticides. The residents are forced to use this contaminated and unsafe water in the absence of alternative provision. Poor people who cannot afford hand pumps use Ganga canal water, which flows nearby for washing and bathing.

Eco Friends launched an awareness campaign in Jan 2004 against the polluting industries and the use of contaminated and unsafe water in Noraiakheda area. Eco Friends has been collecting information and meeting the locals to understand their problems for the past one month. Eco Friends organised a public meeting at Geeta Vidya Mandir, Noraiakheda on April 4. The aim of the meeting was to talk to the locals on the issue of ground water contamination and its impact on their lives. The meeting started with an introduction of the purpose of the meet and a brief history of the area by Mahipal Singh Yadav of Eco Friends.

Rakesh K Jaiswal of Eco Friends while addressing the gathering said,” a healthy life cannot be expected sans safe drinking water. In the heart of the city the people are being denied access to safe drinking water.” He expressed concern over the apathy of the industry and officials. He assured the people that concerted efforts would me made to discipline the erring industries and ensure safe drinking water supply to the residents of Noraiakheda. He stressed on importance of safe and clean water in life and said, “people polluting water resources are criminals and they must be punished.” An investigation with the help of the Pollution Board will be launched against the polluters, he added. He appealed to the people to get organized and raise their voice against the environmental injustice.

Mohd Owais, Senior Project Officer presented the facts about the ground water quality of the area. He quoted the data from the CPCB report published in the year 1997. The summary statement of the pollutants in the groundwater of Noraiakheda area is as follows:

Abridged Status Showing Parameters Exceeding ISI norms*

Note: Max : Overall (annual) maximum ; Avg max: maximum of annual average values
Colour : Hazen units ; T-Coliforms : MPN/100 ml ; DDT, Lindane : ng/l
All other parameters in mg/l

*ISI Drinking Water Norms: IS-10500, Oct 1992, First Review.

Ram Narain Shukla a resident of Noraiakheda informed that the industries of Noraiakheda are getting clean water from the deep tube well while the people are getting contaminated ground water laced with a cocktail of pollutants. He requested Eco Friends to arrange same water supply to the residents. The hand pumps were dismantled and warning signs were put up few years ago, reminisced Mr. Shukla. The tankers supplied water but only when the residents protested. The last time the tanker came was in October 2003, told Ram Naraian.

Raja Ram Singh Chauhan informed that on 21st July 1965 Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) acquired Noraiakheda area under Green Belt 40 scheme. Later the area was handed over to State Industrial Development Corporation. This is how the area grew into an industrial estate.

J P Gupta, an owner of a factory in the area informed that there are more than 50 illegal lead battery units which are discharging lead and sulphuric acid in violation of the regulations and demanded stern action against the units.

Kesari Balmiki spoke on behalf of her community (dalit) and demanded immediate measures to get them safe drinking water. She assured Eco Friends of full cooperation in its campaign against the polluting industries.

At the end of the meeting it was decided that a massive public meeting would be held after elections. The meeting ended with a vote of thanks by Anil Shukla.

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