STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Bangalore

In-depth monitoring of sewage treatment plants and effluent treatment plants of some major industries was carried out. Monitoring of ambient air in respect of routine parameters and noise was also completed. Dry data of some major industries were collected to update the available information. Drain monitoring of some major drains was also completed.

Lote-Parshuram Industrial Area

Lote-Parashuram industrial area, developed by Maharastra Industrial Development Corporation (MICD) in Ratnagiri district of Maharastra State, has been taken up for in-depth pollution assessment, due to a large number of chemical industries located in the area. The water pollution was found as critical problem to the nearby villagers.

Diu

Diu is an island with an area of about 40 square kilometers, which is located in the southern coast of Gujarat Kathiawar peninsula and separated by a narrow swampy creek. The coastline covers tidal marshes, salt pans, limestone cliffs, rocky covers and sandy beaches. The beaches and the cultural heritage of Diu are attracted by inland and foreign tourists. About one lakh tourists visit this small area annually. An intensive study has been initiated to assess the present environmental status of Diu, which will bring out the environmental status of this island and also some recommendations to improve the quality of environment as a whole.

Tripura

A study for preparation of status of Environment in Tripura has been carried out with aim to monitor environmental quality and updating the status report. Environment monitoring has been conducted with respect to air quality, water quality bio-medical waste management, hazardous waste management at various part of Tripura..

Ground water samples were collected from 19 locations distributed in four zones/district (North: 4, Dhalai:1, West: 11, and South: 3). Analyses have been carried out for physical characteristics, mineral constituent, toxic metals and organic pollutants. Results indicate that TDS, TSS, chloride, Fluoride, sulfates are within permissible limits. Toxic heavy metals such as As, Pb, Cd and Cr have been found within permissible limit. No faecal coliform was found in any samples.

Samples were collected from 12 points from 8 rivers namely, Howrah, Deo, Manu, Dhalai, Juri, Feni, Khowai and Muhri and from 2 lakes namely Amarsagar and Jagannathdihi. The water quality with respect to the parameters such as TDS, TSS , Chloride, Fluoride, Sulfate, Calcium, Magnisium, Sodium, Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper and lead were found within permissible water quality limits. Total coliform, Fecal coliform were observed to be higher at all locations. Oil and Grease was higher in Howrah river and in Chandrapur stream at Chandrapur because of automobile Garages in the area. Bacteriological quality of ponds with respect to total coliform and fecal coliform are observed to higher and unsuitable for drinking. The air quality monitoring have been carried out at various locations.

The major health establishment in Tripura is depicted below;

Health Care Center No. Bed capacity Total
West South North Dhalai
State Hospital 4 1054 - - - 1054
District Hospital 2 - 150 150 - 300
Sub-divi. Hospital 11 205 150 60 100 515
Rural Hospital 9 120 80 60 - 260
Defense Hospital 3 87 - - - 87
Homeopathic Hospital 1 20 - - - 20
Private nursing home 10 130 -- - - 130
Total 2266

Considering specific waste generation factor, the quantity of bio-medical waste is estimated as 763 Kg/day. Currently no appropriate system is available for treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste.

Leh & it's adjoining areas

Leh town is the only `urban pocket' in the Ladakh region. The areas surveyed was Leh town, the three brackish water lakes and the Nubra Valley. This area was chosen for survey since CPCB has no background data of this region. This region is watered extensively by the mighty river Indus which is joined by equally important rivers namely River Zanskar and River Shyok. The region is bereft of any natural vegetation and existing tree vegetation are due to the sheer effort of the Forest Department under J & K PCB. The main thrust of growing trees was to meet the demand both for firewood and timber (construction). Semblance of a water supply system is restricted only to Leh town which is catered exclusively by groundwater without any pre-treatment. The entire Ladakh region offers enormous scope for tapping renewable energy sources - mainly hydel and solar. Despite the presence of abundant water resource water is neither abstracted for water supply nor the hydel power projects reassuring, mainly due to the high silt load. The Notified Area Committee (NAC) under the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) supervises solid waste management. The bright spots on this front are firstly, the use of polybags are banned secondly a shop in Leh town offers refilling facility of mineral water bottles, thus stemming piling up of plastic waste in this fragile region. The entire Leh district has a formidable health care infrastructure. The health department is not aware of the Biomedical Waste Rules.

CPCB's general water quality criteria for raw water used for community water supplies (surface & groundwater) were adopted for ascertaining water quality. The salient observations indicate that the river water are suitable for human consumption except high suspended solids and dissolved iron. Leh town is getting water supply from tubewells which are meeting the stipulated standards without any disinfection / treatment. Detailed report of the survey being published.

Digha.

A study on the environmental status of Digha, a renowned tourist resort in the coastal fringe of east Midnapore District, West Bengal, has been undertaken by CPCB Zonal Office- Kolkata with a view to understand the extent of environmental impacts emerging from busy human activities. The study was conducted covering major aspects like air quality, quality of waste waters that discharged into the coastal sea, status of ground water and coastal water quality besides management of municipal solid waste, drinking water quality, beach condition etc.

The air quality, in terms of particulate matters, exhibited near critical value while other parameters remained within the national ambient air quality standards recommended for residential/rural area.

The status of untreated waste water from the tourist town discharged into the coastal sea, in terms of some indicative parameters, have been found critical that may bring about some deleterious effect on the coastal water quality.

Singrauli

In order to promote NGOs in monitoring of environmental quality, CPCB has sponsored the project to Banwasi Sewa Asram, an NGO based at Singrauli. The project under reference is continuing since Jan 2002 and is slated to generate data for surface water and ambient air through a network of monitoring locations in different representative areas. The quarterly reports as submitted by the project authorities brings out following status:

· Three drain monitored include Ballia nala, Dongia nala and Murdhwa nala. It has been reported that high fluoride concentration has been found in Ballia nala and Murdhawa nala.
· Mercury is reported from all the three drains. The maximum concentration has been reported from Dongia nala.
· The concentration of fluoride and mercury is reported from all the three Bawadis monitored.
· The content of mercury and fluoride has been reported from location d/s of the confluence of reservoir with Ballia nala, Dongia nala as well as the river Rihand before confluence with Obra reservoir. The obra reservoir too has reported content of mercury.
· Ambient air has been monitored at four locations for RSPM, SPM, SO2, NOx and mercury. While the location at village Kewal is identified for baseline data, the other three locations at Bijpur, Renukoot and Dalla were identified to record the impact of Rihand Thermal Power Plant, industries at Renukoot and Stone Crushers respectively.
· Excessively low concentration of gaseous pollutants and RSPM observed at Kewal has validated the location as baseline
· SO2 and NOx has been found within limits for residential areas.
· High fluoride (1.2 to 5 µg/m3) is reported at Renukoot
· RSPM and SPM concentration has been found high at Dalla and Renukoot
· A significant observation has been high concentration of gaseous as well as particulate mercury reported from all the three impact locations.