Delhi industrial hubs toxic: Report

Eighty-five per cent of big industrial clusters in India — including six in and around Delhi — are health hazards, as pollution levels have made air, water and land quality here unfit for human habitation, reports Chetan Chauhan.

Eighty-five per cent of big industrial clusters in India — including six in and around Delhi — are health hazards, as pollution levels have made air, water and land quality here unfit for human habitation.

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This is what the Central Pollution Control Board found when it assessed 88 industrial areas. Pollution levels at 75 of these areas are “critical” — which on the Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index is between 60 and 80, with zero being the least and 100 the most.

“Toxic levels were found to be very high and bad for human health,” said Board chairperson S.P. Gautam. “Ankleshwar in Gujarat is the most polluted because of its poor infrastructure to control pollutants.” Vapi, also in Gujarat, is second.

The NCR is also a major contributor to industrial pollution.

Ghaziabad in UP is third with many unauthorised industries. “In early 2000, when unauthorised industries were closed in Delhi on court orders, most of them shifted to Ghaziabad, resulting in high pollution levels there,” said a Board official.

Digboi in Assam is the least polluted with a score of 44.55.

“No new industries should be allowed in these industrial clusters. It is a tough decision states need to take,” Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said. “We (the Centre) will provide financial help in next year’s budget for this clean-up job.”

The report — based on pollution data from 2007 to ’09 — shows high levels of common toxins such as lead, iron and copper and chemicals such as benzene and mercury — all of which are carcinogenic.

Ramesh said the Public Health Foundation of India would study the impact of such pollution levels on people’s health, an aspect the Board’s report does not quantify.