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HAZARDOUS WASTE SUB-COMMITTEE MEETINGS

(July 10,2006 - Dec 12, 2006)

Multi-stakeholder Group on hazardous industrial waste and groundwater pollution issues in Kanpur

Mr Rakesh K Jaiswal (Eco Friends) had written a letter to DM Kanpur Nagar on Jan 25, 2006 seeking his attention to groundwater pollution issue owing to indiscriminate industrial waste disposal and requesting him to form a Multi-stakeholder Group. The DM during GAP Monitoring Committee meet on Feb 1, 2006 directed to constitute a Multi-stakeholder Group comprising representatives from various concerned government agencies and civil society. This Group should meet at regular interval and visit Noraiakheda, Jajmau, Juhi Rakhimandi and Panki and submit a report in this regard, further directed the DM.
The Multi-stakeholder Group consists of following members:

Zonal Officer, Central Pollution Control Board
Regional Officer, UP Pollution Control Board
City Health Officer, KNN
GM, Ganga Pollution Control Unit, UP Jal Nigam, Kanpur
ACM of the area
Mr Rakesh K Jaiswal, Eco Friends
GM, Jal Sansthan, Kanpur.
GM, UPSIDC, Kanpur

At the request of Mr Rakesh Jaiswal, it was decided that Ms Promila Sharma (Blacksmith Institute) and Mr Ross Nickson (UNICEF) would be regular invitees.
A meeting in this regard was held under the chairmanship of DM Kanpur Nagar on Feb 7, 2006 at DM Office. The meeting was attended by all the members. Dr RK Singh of CPCB and Dr Richard Schaffner, Senior Technical Expert from GZA, USA gave power point presentation on Groundwater Remediation Project.
The gist of the presentations is as follows

Groundwater Remediation Project, Noriakheda, Kanpur city

Status of Action taken in Pilot Study

The Pilot Study on Groundwater Remediation based on Bio-Remediation technology has been initiated.

Dr Richard Schaffer, Senior Technical Expert from GZA-USA came to Kanpur project site on Jan 22nd, 2006. He was available for 20 days and provided technical support.

The Bio-stimulant (EDC) was provided by Ecocycle Japan, free of cost.

One injection well and three monitoring wells were drilled and developed. Incorporating the one existing piezometer, the well field of 5 wells was used for the pilot study.

Vertical strata profile of boring log was prepared to identify the affected (polluted) zone synchronizing with the chromium plume in groundwater as per the flow model generated in the first year of the ongoing Project.

All the four new wells (Injection & Monitoring) were provided with screens synchronizing with the affected (polluted) zone. The other vertical zones of the bore were made impermeable using bentonite seal

CPCB Zonal Office Lucknow executed the Pilot study which willcontinue till June 2006. During the execution the Bio-stimulant was injected through the screens in injection well and the impact was monitored in the downstream monitoring wells.

Two rounds of monitoring have been completed. The ground water quality in post injection phase has shown development of anaerobic condition exhibiting positive reflex of stimulated soil microbes responsible for bio-chemical reduction of hexavalent chromium. The detailed analysis is underway and shall be presented in the next Meeting.

Minutes of the Sub-committee/Multi-stakeholder Meet held on Dec. 12, 2006(Hazardous industrial waste and groundwater pollution issues)

List of participants:

Mr Ratan Lal, GM-KJS
Mr MC Tiwari, GM-GPCU UPJN
Mr Mukesh Kumar, PM-GPCU UPJN
Mr Suraj Lal, Executive Engineer-UPJN
Mr RK Jaiswal, Eco Friends
Mr RP Verma, Executive Engineer-KJS
Mr NM Choudhary, Executive Engineer-KJS
Mr BP Shukla, Zonal Officer-CPCB
Dr. RK Singh, Scientist- CPCB
Mr Suresh Chandra, Tech. Asst.- State Groundwater Board
Mr Hari Ram, AA3-KNN
Asst. Eng. (T), KNN
Mr JP Gupta, Health Officer, KNN

After discussion, following decisions were taken in the meeting:

CPCB officials were present. It was informed that the groundwater remediation project proposal has been prepared by CPCB for Nauraiyyakheda area. Members requested CPCB officials to make the proposal copy available to the committee so that the committee members could be apprised of the funds needed for carrying out the project. It was also decided that CPCB should seek support in this endeavour by the district administration, KJS, Jal Nigam, KNN and others.
Municipal Commissioner had written a letter to RO, UPPCB on Oct. 16 seeking information regarding groundwater contamination and hazardous industrial waste status in Kanpur. The information is yet to be made available to the committee. It was decided that Municipal Commissioner should again write to RO, UPPCB in this regard.
It was decided that DM Kanpur Nagar should be requested to direct UPPCB to make the desired information available to the committee. Action in this regard will be taken by GM, KJS. It was also decided that the land close to CETP should be reserved by KNN for dumping the sludge generated from CETP.
CPCB officials assured to present the information desired during the meeting held on July 10 in the next meeting.
It was decided in the meeting held on Oct.4 that State Groundwater Board should be requested to install tube-well or deep hand-pumps in Nauraiyyakheda. SGB informed that they were not involved in such activities, instead they were involved in research and survey works. Therefore UPJN was requested to prepare a project proposal in this regard. UPJN informed that Rs.1.25 crore would be required for the work and a project proposal had already been sent to State HQ for approval. UPJN informed that the action was being taken in this regard.
Mr. Rakesh Jaiswal suggested to install atleast 20 deep hand-pumps in Nauraiyyakheda for the time being till some permanent arrangement was made. CPCB opposed this on the ground that chromium will percolate and reach the lower aquifers. They suggested that Dadanagar-based Zonal Pumping Station should use the canal or barrage water to meet the needs of Nauraiyyakheda. However, it was decided that UPJN should survey the area, find a suitable place for tube-well and ensure safe drinking water to Nauraiyyakheda residents.
CPCB was requested to make chromium status in the groundwater of Rakhimandi, Jajmau and Nauraiyyakheda areas available to the committee in the next meeting.
A discussion was held pertaining to water supply scheme in Atwan village. UPJN informed that water supply could not be started due to non-availability of electricity connection. The committee desired that UPJN should arrange the electricity connection and ensure safe water supply to villages affected by tannery pollution at the earliest.

It was decided that the next meeting would be held on Jan.19, 07 in the office of GM, GPCU UPJN.

Minutes of the Sub-committee/Multi-stakeholder Meet held on Oct. 4, 2006 (Hazardous industrial waste and groundwater pollution issues)

List of participants:

Mr AP Juneja, GM-KJS
Mr UN Tiwari, Additional Municipal Commissioner
Mr RK Jaiswal, Eco Friends
Mr RB Singh, Executive Engineer- KJS
Mr RP Verma, Executive Engineer-KJS
Mr RS Maurya, Asst. Engineer-KJS
Mr KSM Siddqui, Asst. Engineer-KJS
Mr MC Tiwari, GM-GPCU UPJN
Mr AK Srivastava, PM-GPCU UPJN
Mr Mukesh Kumar, PM-GPCU UPJN

Following decisions were taken in the meeting:

CPCB officials were absent. It was decided that the successful groundwater remediation pilot project carried out by CPCB in Nauraiyyakheda area should be implemented on a wider scale, therefore a detailed project should be prepared and presented in a capable forum so that the funds could be mobilized for the same. It was also decided that CPCB would be supported in this endeavour by the district administration, KJS, Jal Nigam, KNN and others.
A report was solicited from UPPCB in the meeting held on July 10 regarding groundwater contamination and hazardous industrial waste status in Kanpur. The report is yet to be made available to the committee. It was decided that Municipal Commissioner should write to RO, UPPCB in this regard.
The groundwater in Nauraiyyakheda is contaminated and there is no proper arrangement for safe water supply. It was decided that UPJN should prepare an effective plan for water supply and put the same before DM Kanpur Nagar.
State Groundwater Board should be requested to ensure safe water supply either by installing deep tube-well or hand-pumps.

It was decided that the next meeting would be held on Nov.14 at 11 AM in the office of GM, KJS.

Minutes of the Sub-committee/Multi-stakeholder Meet held on July 10, 2006 (Hazardous industrial waste and groundwater pollution issues)

List of participants:

Mr AP Juneja, GM-KJS
Mr RK Jaiswal, Eco Friends
Mr LN Bhutia, Blacksmith Institute
Mr JA Ansari, PM-GPCU UPJN
Mr RB Singh, Executive Engineer- KJS
Mr Mukesh Kumar, PM-GPCU UPJN
Mr NM Choudhary, Executive Engineer-KJS
Mr Madan Lal, Project Engineer-GPCU UPJN
Ms Preeti Saxena, Project Associate-CEE North
Dr MD Girdhani, KNN
Mr Kuldeep Mishra, RO-UPPCB

The members were informed about the contamination of groundwater in Nauraiakheda area of Kanpur and the groundwater remediation project carried out by CPCB. But the committee members could not have the exact information due to absence of CPCB representative. It was decided that CPCB should be requested again to send their representative for the meeting to be held under the chairmanship of DM Kanpur Nagar on July 11. (Action: KJS)
The groundwater is contaminated in four areas-Nauraiakheda, Juhi Rakhimandi, Jajmau & Panki. A report in this regard should be submitted by UPPCB.
The amount of hazardous industrial waste being generated in Kanpur (A report by UPPCB)
Number and nature of hazardous industrial units in Kanpur (A report by UPPCB)
The hazardous industrial waste disposal practices (A report by UPPCB)
The members suggested that safe drinking water should be made available to affected population. KJS informed that safe water was being supplied to Nauraiakheda residents through two water tankers. Considering this unsatisfactory, the members suggested to work out an effective and sustainable plan so that safe water could be made available to affected population. KJS officials informed that there existed a zonal pumping station in Nauraiakheda area which could be activated and used to supply water under barrage water supply scheme. Therefore UPJN should be requested to prepare a plan this regard. (Action: KJS)