Solan: Stench of Salogra open dump site angers locals : The Tribune India
Tribune press service
Ambika Sharma
Solan, July 10
With little action on the open dumping of solid waste at Salogra on the Solan-Kandaghat road, local residents are forced to put up with the stench.
The factory remained at the center of controversy for several years due to “inept management”. Spread over 24 bighas, the landfill has been operational for more than 40 years. The unscientific dumping and its segregation cause the waste to be dispersed on the site, which causes a foul odor. An environmental compensation of Rs 1.8 lakh was imposed on him by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) in July 2020 for non-compliance with solid waste management rules, 2016.
“The inhabitants are subjected to an air that has become toxic, acrid, harmful, suffocating and infectious with pathogenic contamination from the open dump. We are slowly being poisoned by the air and it will lead to lung diseases and cancers,” lamented resident Dr Karan Singh.
He said they had raised the issue with MC officials on several occasions but were told that proper procedures under pollution control standards and waste management standards were being followed. The fresh waste that is dumped here adds to the legacy waste that has been piled up there for years. “The fact that there was a huge amount of legacy waste at the site is testament to the fact that standards are being violated,” Dr Karan said.
He said he had also sent representations to the Prime Minister, the High Court, the National Green Court, national and central pollution control commissions and the Department of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, among others.
Pradeep Moudgil, Assistant Environmental Engineer, State Pollution Control Board, Parwanoo, said the contractor engaged in lifting the waste would be responsible for increasing the frequency of chemical sprays to control the smell.
Expected to clear customs by March 2021
The presence of tons of trash is a major cause of stench. This waste was to be cleared by March 2021 but this has not yet been done. — Pradeep Moudgil, assistant environmental engineer, SPCB
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