Few days’ back huge quantity of plastic were seen floating in the Ashwani Khad has shocked everyone. A video clip made by one concerned citizen has let everyone know about how concerned department is being managing city waste. Following furor after video gone viral on social media, on the direction of National Green Tribunal (NGT), state Pollution Control Board ordered probe, and its seven-member inquiry committee report has indicted the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the Solan Municipal Council for polluting the Ashwani Khad.
The report, accessed by leading English daily, claimed that four tonnes of solid waste of the Solan MC that didn’t reach Shimla’s waste-to-energy Bharyal plant on July 1 and 2, might had been dumped into the Ashwani Khud at the Sadhupul Bridge.
The report also found that the plastic waste is being dumped in most of storm water drains in Shimla city as well, and during heavy rain it’s being washed into Ashwani River and further polluting the river.
Ashwani Khad, once a dependable source of potable water of the Shimla and Solan city, is facing worse contamination of all time. All kind of waste, which is being thrown into the nullahs in Shimla city is being washed into the Khad in the rainy season contaminating water and the situation was further aggravated after construction of Sewage Treatment Plant nearby Malyana outskirt of the Shimla city. The sewerage plant has been constructed right above the catchment area of the Khad and following poor maintenance and faulty operation of the plant, contaminating leakage from the plant in the drinking water of Ashwani Khad had resulted in the outbreak of jaundice.
Following series of jaundice outbreak in Shimla city, MC Shimla had suspended lifting water from Ashwani Khad. However, the Solan city is still lifting potable water from the Ashawani Khad.
