A Project implemented by

Final Report

POLLUTED PLACES - INDIA

Supported under Poverty and Environment Program (PEP), Asian Development Bank

January 2005- December 2007

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Contents

S. No. Particulars Page

1 Introduction 32 Scope and Objectives 53 Approach and Activities Summary

a) Site nominations b) Site Assessments c) Intervention design & remediation d) Multi-stakeholder Groups & Remediation Pilots

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4 Project Outputs & Outcomes 295 Maintaining the Momentum 326 Photo-gallery covering project activities 33 Annexure

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1. INTRODUCTION Blacksmith Institute’s mission is to locate and remediate the dirtiest; most dangerously polluted sites overlooked by others and put these sites on the path which would safeguard people rights to safe environment. To combat this challenge, the Polluted Places Initiative has been designed through which we seek to identify and address severely polluted sites throughout the developing world, where human health and livelihood are being significantly affected by industrial hazardous pollution Polluted Places encourages innovative and creative approaches to supporting local leaders and organizations. Our strategy brings resources and expertise to the local groups and agencies in developing communities in order to solve pollution problems, one community at a time. Work by WHO and the World Bank has produced estimates that about one billion people are affected worldwide by pollution related issues and perhaps 20% or more of the premature deaths worldwide are related to environmental factors. Dirty water and polluted air are the two biggest issues and WHO also notes lead (Pb) as one of the major environmental risks. Pollution on a local scale can exceed global standards by several magnitudes, resulting in acute and chronic effects on the local populace and even death. Blacksmith seeks to identify such sites where pollution has severely impacted mortality and morbidity rates and implement measures to alleviate it. In India industrial pollution significantly impacts the health of the poorest communities, especially women and children. Water resources such as streams, rivers and groundwater supplies provide drinking water for most of the rural poor and its pollution results in severely impeded opportunities for socio-economic development for millions of people. Polluted industries are invariably located in the community’s poorest areas, thus evading scrutiny from regulators and unofficial monitors. Surrounding areas usually house illiterate people who are oblivious to the dangers of industrial pollution and who lack representation on health and political issues. In 2005 Blacksmith Institute was awarded a grant under the Asian Development Bank’s Poverty and Environment Program to initiate a project to reduce mortality and morbidity levels caused by chemical pollution in local communities, as well as strengthen local government and community capacity to undertake successful remediation efforts in India. The main objectives of this project are to identify sites where communities have been severely impacted by industrial pollution, conduct initial site assessments in at least 12 of the sites, initiate interventions in at least five sites and conduct pilot-scale remediation at two sites. The project has been undertaken keeping in the mind the existing ADB’s ongoing projects on water supply and sanitation, as well as related projects for managing solid waste and toxic and hazardous waste. This is also consistent with ADB’s overall goal of ensuring environmental sustainability through the urban social infrastructure and environmental projects detailed in ADB’s Country Strategy and Program Update 2005-2007 for India. As envisaged, the project could complete not only all of its identified activities successfully but also some of the key outputs even exceeded expectations. Considering this, a request was made

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to increase the time frame for the implementation & completion of additional interventions beyond the project period (eventually until December 2007) without having any financial implication. This request was graciously granted by the PEP authorities. We present this report as our submission on activities undertaken, strategies followed, highlights of the key achievements and the lessons learnt. A separate volume includes details on the different sites assessed and on the interventions carried out.

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2. SCOPE & OBJECTIVES The objectives for the Polluted Places project were set out as follows: 1. To address the issues related to remediation of polluted sites and reduce levels of mortality & morbidity caused by chemical pollution in local communities; and 2. To strengthen local government and community capacity to initiate and undertake successful remediation efforts. This was to be achieved through the following interventions: 1. Identifying and assessing selected sites in India where chemical pollution has adversely affected local environmental quality and caused high levels of mortality and morbidity among local communities; 2. Developing remediation plans for selected sites identified during the assessment process; and 3. Piloting implementation plans in 2-3 sites. In the execution of the project special focus was towards the incorporation of the key elements of the Blacksmith Institute’s Polluted places strategy which are: 1. Development of Multi-stakeholder partnerships and Community Involvement 2. Low cost of remediation planning and direct remediation 3. Simple and practical human health evaluation 4. Immediate impacts through interim environment improvement measures. 5. Monitoring to ensure effective completion of remediation within budget.

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3. APPROACH AND ACTIVITY SUMMARY Blacksmith’s approach to dealing with heavily polluted sites which impact people’s lives and health is based on a structured way of narrowing in from a range of problem sites to a carefully targeted set of practical interventions. The application of this approach, as set out in some detail in the original proposal, comprises four basic steps: Site Nomination and Review The project began with a call for nomination of critical sites in India, to be addressed under the project. Nominated sites are first reviewed by Blacksmith Institute’s head office staff, where further research is done to determine if the site meets the selection criteria. If so, a site report is prepared, which is then forwarded to the Technical Advisory Board (TAB). The Board reviews sites against two key criteria: does the information indicate substantial health impact due to the pollti;, and whether Polluted Places resources could make a difference. Initial Site Assessments are then conducted in those places approved by the Board for further study and intervention. Nominations were received for around 130 sites in India out of which 74 have been reviewed by the TAB. Initial Site Assessments (ISA) The intent of the ISA is to validate the extent of contamination and health impact, and to determine an appropriate design for an intervention that will result in site remediation. The ISA follows a protocol developed by John Hopkins School of Public Health. It includes:

• Meetings with key representatives of each of the following stakeholders: industry owner (if existing facility), local hospital, pollution officials (state and federal), NGOs, community groups, and municipality.

• Review of available environmental testing and health data and retain copies of the same. • Take water and/or soil samples where feasible. • Physically assess the pollutant(s) and the pathway of that pollutant into the population,

and determine an estimate of the people thus affected. • Report above results. • Preliminary intervention design.

The project design envisaged that 12 to 15 sites would be individually investigated. In practice, a total of 34 ISAs were conducted as part of this project. Intervention Design and ImplementationThe purpose of designing a practical site specific intervention is to empower a local agency to undertake remediation work. This involves providing financial, technical, strategic, and networking support to a local agency, which is selected during the ISA using the following criteria:

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• Authority to conduct the cleanup. • Ability to coordinate with other bodies (e.g. national agencies and/or multilateral

institutions). • Excellent community mobilization skills and ability to generate involvement indecision-

making. • A champion – a locally respected, highly capable individual who is deeply committed to

making a difference. Possible intervention activities involving the community and stakeholders included some or all of the following:

• Hiring of local staff at the local agency committed to design and implement remediation activities;

• Analysis of technical requirements and costs to remediate pollution; • Supply of alternative drinking water source; • Regular project review meetings among all stakeholders to evaluate progress towards

objectives, identification of barriers, planning future actions, etc; • ·Capacity building/community education and awareness raising activities (workshops,

information sessions, technical training where appropriate); • Initial environmental management improvements to mitigate the worst effects in the

short-term; improvements in health care treatment for pollution victims; • Public participation in monitoring set ups, action cells, and community activities at

cleaned up sites to avoid recurrence. To strengthen the effectiveness of this intervention remediation work in the design, implementation and long-term monitoring stages, Blacksmith Institute invited Dr. Mukesh Khare, an Indian environmental expert, to join the Technical Advisory Board to advice on appropriate strategies and technical measures for the duration of the sub-project. Remediation Implementation The initial stages of this project were carried out at a time when considerable attention was being focused on the broad problems of toxic waste in India and the need for remediation. The Government of India, through the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), was examining the scope of the problem across the country and considering the extent of a national remediation program. In this context, ADB and Blacksmith agreed that site assessments and relevant findings emerging from this project would be shared with MOEF/CPCB , in order to support the process of priority setting and planning for large- scale remediation. Summary of the activities undertaken based on the just-mentioned approach is Progress on each of these steps is discussed below.

3a) Site Nominations The process of Site Nominations had begun even before the project was commenced, with nominations being received through Blacksmith’s website.

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Blacksmith Institute published a call for India proposals in the April 15 2005 issue of the Down to Earth magazine, which is a fortnightly publication dedicated to science and environmental issues in India. Several nominations were received in response to this. A total of 130 nominations have been received, of which 74 were put forward for review by TAB.

3b) Site Assessments The Initial Site Assessment (ISA) is a crucial step in the overall progress because this involves site visits and discussions by Blacksmith staff and relevant specialists. It is the point at which the information in the nomination is confirmed or improved and first conclusions and recommendations made about remediation options. The project proposal had envisaged that 12 or more ISA’s would be carried out. In the end, 34 specific ISAs were prepared, including findings on Expected Interventions. A first draft report containing 20 ISAs was completed in August 2005 and provided to ADB, MOEF/CPCB. The report included recommendations on whether or not each site should be considered as a candidate for major remediation efforts. The following table sets out the essentials of all 34 assessments. It is followed by short summary of all 34 ISAs, on a state by state basis. (The full detailed ISAs are provided in a separate Volume.) TABLE: Summary of sites for which ISAs were carried out with our recommendations. Site Name

Summary Priority for GoI Remediation

PRIORITY SITES

GUJARAT Nandessari Industrial Estate/ Mini River

The problems of illegal dumps and legacy pollution problems in and around Mini River should be addressed because of risk of drinking water contamination

Yes: Legacy site remediation

Muthia Village Toxic waste in legacy dumps needs to be removed from village. Pilot has been implemented.

Yes: Expand work completed under pilot

Amlakhadi River Outflow from CETP needs to be monitored. Sludge cleanup along banks of river to be undertaken. Groundwater is contaminated

Yes: Needs area based pollution management, including remediation.

Damanganga River/Vapi Industrial Estate

Contaminated sludge from riverbanks needs to be removed to secure landfill site. Discharges to be controlled

Yes: Needs area based pollution management, including remediation.

TAMIL NADU Ranipet Contaminants from a legacy chromium Yes:

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industry has infiltrated the surroundings and contaminated the drinking water supply of neighbouring villages.

Legacy site to be remediated

Palar River at Vellore Impacted by leachate from Ranipet as well as tannery and other industrial effluents.

Yes – in tandem with Ranipet

RAJASTHAN Bichhadi Village Legacy problem from chemical estate

that has contaminated the groundwater beyond use. Under Supreme Court monitoring

Possible: Interventions needed; implementation of SC orders needs to be started.

Pali Preliminary work tried on water. No formal ISA: couldn’t qualify for the for water quality pilot

Probable: Pilot on water treatment was considerd

UTTAR PRADESH Noraiakheda, Kanpur

Defunct chromium processing plant has contaminated the groundwater supply to this area. Pilot remediation scheme implemented successfully.

Yes: Pilot project has demonstrated feasibility. Needs to be expanded.

Anwarganj Legacy chemical industry in Kanpur Yes - should be included in Kanpur groundwater remediation project

WEST BENGAL Tiljla/Picnic Gardens

Secondary lead smelters in close proximity to dense settlements. Outdated technology and no pollution control

Yes: Intervention needed because of probable health impacts; industries need to be upgraded or relocated

JHARKHAND Roro Hills Legacy chromate and asbestos mines.

Dumps overshadow village and health effects reported

Yes: Need to address approx 0.7mt of dumps

ORISSA Sukinda Valley Chromate mines and processing are

impacting local waterways. Ongoing debate about impacts. ISA to be done

Yes: Major problems with ongoing and legacy mining

Angul-Thalcher Legacy dumps identified from M/s Orichem Ltd.

Yes: Wetlands Technology Pilot proposed by one of our Technical Expert

INTERVENTION NOT HIGH PRIORITY

GUJARAT Kharicut Canal Canal needs lining to prevent further

leaching of contaminants into the Perhaps: Direct health links not

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surrounding villages. Hazardous waste dumping also needs to be cleaned up.

clearly established

Baroda Effluent Canal

Potential human health impacts are probably limited

No: Pathway of human contact not clear

Hema Chemicals, Baroda

Health study needed on people in vicinity of this legacy industry to determine level of health impact of exposure to chromium.

No: Private ownership

Pirana/Narol Industrial Area

Treatment plant needs to be upgraded or better operated.

No: No clear pathway for human contact

River Par Need to clean up waste sludge dumped on riverbanks

No: No immediate pathway to humans

TAMIL NADU Sriumagai Legacy chemical industry. Need to

monitor the safe removal of chemicals from the premises

No: but should be monitored

Tiruppur Pollution from active dyeing and textile industries. Is receiving a lot of attention and several projects are underway to solve the problems

No: Most of the problems are related to active industries

Cuddalore Active and legacy chemical industries Not at present: Another site visit under consideration

ANDHRA PRADESH

Edulabad Local lake reported to be contaminated by industry. Sampling suggests mainly municipal pollution

No: Not significant industrial contamination

Asanikunta Lake, Medak

Heavily polluted by effluents from Bollaram Industrial Estate. Untreated discharges need to be stopped.

No: Active pollution by private industries

Noor Mohammed Kunta Lake, Ranga Reddy

Receives poorly controlled effluents from Katedan industrial Estate. These discharges need to be controlled.

No: Active pollution by private industries

Hindustan Zinc Ltd. Vishakapatnam

Public company closed in 1999. Tests by APPCB show that contamination now within acceptable levels.

No: No impacts

RAJASTHAN Sanganer Ongoing pollution from textile

industries. More work needed to determine extent of contamination and identify other sources

No: Samples tested did not demonstrate clear links

Bhiwadi and Chowpanki

Active secondary lead smelters. Health studies need to be conducted

Further work on stakeholder involvement is needed

UTTAR PRADESH

Daurala Active pharmaceutical industry. Measures being taken to improve

No: Active pollution, being

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discharges addressed Panki Katra

Surrounding areas contaminated by fly-ash releases from power plant. Project underway to improve soil fertility.

No: but fly ash discharges need to be controlled

Chinhat Dumps of waste from Lindane manufacture. Pilot remediation of one dump underway.

No: Chemical plant is still active and under orders to clean-up. Pilot results can be taken up by industry.

WEST BENGAL Aruputo Village About 40 facilities processing leather

scraps from tanneries into fertilizer. Suspected to release hexavalent chromium into surroundings

No: Problem is caused by active industry

Howrah Old cast iron foundry cluster located here. Major concern is air pollution which is closely monitored by authorities

No: Appropriate controls are in place

Tangra Legacy contamination from recently closed tanneries. Being addressed by authorities

No: State government is dealing with this area

JHARKAND Kadra and Ratanpur Active sponge iron plants No:

Monitoring of ongoing operations is required

Discussion of sites, by state Andhra Pradesh sites: Edulabad, Andhra Pradesh Edulabad residents claim that the lake water has been tainted by illegally dumped untreated industrial effluents. Laboratory tests conducted on water samples collected from the lake have shown that the contamination is mostly organic in nature (from sewage) and there is no clearly identifiable pathway into the population. Hindustan Zinc Ltd., Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh A legacy lead smelter lies in the premises of Hindustan Zinc Ltd., a public sector company, in the Gajuwaka area of Vishakapatnam. The lead unit shut down in 1999 due to pollution complaints by local residents. Tests conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board reveal that contaminant levels have been within permissible levels for the past few years. The Initial Site Assessment conducted by Blacksmith Institute concluded that no specific action was necessary.

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Asanikunta Lake, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh The Asanikunta Lake is extremely polluted as it receives industrial effluents from the Bollaram Industrial Estate, mainly comprised of chemical and bulk drug industries. Previous efforts undertaken by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board authorities to clean the lake proved ineffective, as illegal and indiscriminate industrial discharge of untreated effluents persisted afterwards. Strict enforcement of proper dumping and treatment practices of industrial wastes should be applied as a prerequisite for successful remediation measures. Noor Mohammad Kunta Lake, Ranga Reddy District, Andhra Pradesh The Noor Mohammad Kunta Lake is located on the outskirts of Hyderabad and receives active discharge from industries in the Katedan Industrial Estate. The main industries here are textile, dye and edible oil industries. Stricter enforcement of laws to control discharge of untreated effluents should be in place before remediation efforts are undertaken. West Bengal sites: Aruputo Village, Kolkata Chromium-treated scrap leather trimmings from tanneries around the area are processed in about forty unlicensed facilities in Aruputo Village. Wastewater from this process is dumped into open water bodies, used as a drinking water resource by residents. The processed product is sold as fertilizers to the tea gardens in northern West Bengal. Further studies are needed to determine the existence of contamination and its extent and these are to be undertaken by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board. Tangra, Kolkata Tangra in Kolkata was dominated by leather tanneries until a Supreme Court order forced them to relocate elsewhere. This legacy site is suspected to be contaminated with hexavalent chromium but requires further studies to establish the existence of pollution, if any, and the extent of contamination. The West Bengal Pollution Control Board is managing this site and no further action by Blacksmith Institute is recommended. Picnic Gardens/ Tiljala, Kolkata The secondary lead smelters at Picnic Gardens are a major health concern because of a substantial health risk to the local population, especially children. The lead batteries are melted in outdated furnaces and lead scrap and battery casings are stored inadequately in the open. Obvious signs of contamination can be observed in and around the smelters. Blacksmith Institute is supporting further work through a stakeholders group on assessing the current problems and possible pilot interventions. Howrah Howrah foundry cluster is one of the oldest and largest cast iron foundry centers in India. The West Bengal Pollution Control Board is closely involved in monitoring the pollution stemming from the foundries and their controls seems to be effective. Plans to relocate the foundries are underway. The Initial Site Assessment by Blacksmith Institute concluded that no action was justified under this project.

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Gujarat sites Nandesari, Baroda The Nandesari Industrial Estate is comprised of around 1,200 small and large- scale industries. There are estimated to be around 10-15 illegal hazardous waste dumpsites in and around the estate. The Mini River, which passes through the estate, was used for accepting wastewater from industries prior to the implementation of hazardous waste laws in 1989 and the sediment is heavily contaminated with toxins. During the rainy season, water from this canal drains directly into the drinking water supply for the city of Baroda. Gujarat Multi-stakeholders Group is reviewing possible options and estimates will be made of pilot remediation costs. (This task has been delayed in its second year because of the occurrence of Gujarat State Assembly Elections) Hema Chemicals, Baroda, Gujarat Hema Chemicals manufactured chromium salts for use in tanneries from 1965- 2001. During its years of operation the company is believed to have dumped several thousand tons of chromium waste within its premises and in the vicinity. Illegal dumping at this site has spurred the largest Public Interest Litigation in Indian history. It is understood that the next step is a health assessment study. Blacksmith concluded that it is not appropriate to intervene. Pirana/Narol, Ahmedabad The Pirana/ Narol Industrial area is mostly comprised of textile industries. Wastewater from these industries goes to the sewage treatment plant from where, after treatment, it drains into the Sabarmati River. Heavy metal and organic contamination is suspected here. There is no clearly identifiable pathway into the population and no further action under this project is recommended at this time. Baroda, Gujarat A 54- kilometer channel carries treated wastewater from three large-scale enterprises: Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals, IOCL Gujarat Refinery and Indian Petrochemicals Ltd from Baroda to the sea. Water from this source is used for irrigation by farmers in six or seven villages that fall along its length. There may be possible contamination of food crops irrigated from the waters of this canal but direct potential human health risks are considered low. No further action under this project is recommended. Amlakhadi, Gujarat Amlakhadi is a tributary of the Narmada River. The Bharauch Enviro Aqua Infrastructure Ltd collects wastewater from three industrial estates (Ankleshwar GIDC, Jhagadia GIDC and Panoli GIDC) and discharges it into the Amlakhadi after treatment. However dark red water can be observed being discharged, bringing into question the effectiveness of effluent treatment processes. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board is monitoring the situation. Damanganga River, Vapi, Gujarat Damanganga River receives most of the effluent load from active industries in the Vapi Industrial Estate. It is also a major source of drinking water. Health problems have been reported in people living around the Vapi industrial area that may be linked to pollution from industries within the estate. The problems appear to mainly link to the active discharges but further analysis is warrented to identify remediation priorities for the toxic wastes dumped on

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the river banks. (Vapi Industrial Estate has been listed in Blacksmith Institute’s separate study on identifying the world Top 10 worst polluted places in September 2007.) Kharicut Canal, Vatva, Gujarat The Kharicut canal is about 46 kilometers in length running from the Naroda GIDC to the Sabarmati River, which receives wastewater from three industrial estates: Naroda GIDC, Odhav GIDC and the Vatva GIDC. Water in the canal is a dark-red color, indicating inadequate treatment of the effluent. Sludge has been dumped along the banks. Lining the canal would prevent continued pollution of groundwater along its length. This intervention is beyond the resources available under this Project. Muthia Village, Naroda, Gujarat Several thousand tons of hazardous wastes have been dumped in the village mostly from dyeing enterprises. Water drawn from a local well was yellow-colored. This site was identified by Gujarat SHG as appropriate for pilot-scale remediation with the application of Vermi-technology, and this is being supported under the project. The project could successfully take out 60 % of the heavy metals in the first year of the implementation. It is, therefore, being supported in the year two as well. The last planned application of the EM solution and the introduction of new cocoon was done in September 2007 and final testing is expected to be conducted by December 2007 end. River Par, Atul Par River is a drinking water resource for several villages including the Umarsadi and Haria villages. Earlier reports indicate high levels of lead in the water. The river receives industrial waste from the Atul complex and tons of sludge has accumulated along the river banks. More studies are required to determine the nature of the contamination and its extent. Tamil Nadu sites Ranipet A legacy industry, Tamil Nadu Chromates and Chemicals, lies about 120 kilometers southwest of Chennai. An estimated 150,000 tons of chromate sludge lies untreated in its premises. Leaching of these wastes has contaminated the groundwater. There are around 150 small-scale tanneries operating here and their effluents are polluting the Palar River that lies five kilometers downstream. TNPCB is reviewing technical options for the sludge dump. The groundwater remediation approaches piloted successfully in Kanpur could be relevant here. Palar River Basin The Palar River Basin encompasses an area of 18,300 square kilometers. The river is seasonal and for the most part of the year is dry. Tannery, dye and chemical industry effluents have reportedly percolated into the groundwater, which is used as a drinking water resource. The state government is actively involved in trying to reduce the inflow of industrial waste by installing effluent treatment plants and upgrading existing ones. More detailed monitoring is suggested. South India Viscose, Sirumugai Sirumugai is a small village in rural India located in Coimbatore District, on the banks of the river Bhavani. In 2001, the local viscose textile plant, the SIV Industries Ltd, shut down. There are reports that several tons of explosive chemicals, stored in the factory premises, have been

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auctioned off but have yet to be safely transported to its destination. It is recommended that oversight is needed to ensure a safe transfer of the chemicals to their buyer. Tiruppur, Coimbatore District Tiruppur is an industrial city located on the Noyyal River and is India’s largest producer of cotton knitwear, accounting for over three-fourths of the country’s knitwear exports. The Noyyal River is so polluted that for more than ten kilometers around the town, the water from the ground is said to come up in hues of green and black. The ground water is so contaminated that the industries themselves cannot use the local sources and they are forced to purchase water from outside. Effluents from the knitting units from Tiruppur have turned the river acidic. The number of dyeing units in the area has increased to 900 and chlorine content in the water had gone up drastically. Considerable efforts are underway by different parties to find a solution. Further studies would be required to properly assess the situation in detail and to evaluate the best alternatives for reducing pollution. SIPCOT Industrial Estate, Cuddalore In 1982, the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) set up a 200-hectare industrial estate eight kilometers away from Cuddalore town and 200 kilometers away from Chennai, the state capital of Tamil Nadu. More than twenty five chemical industries, including pesticide, dye and pharmaceutical plants operate here without proper infrastructure to deal with hazardous wastes and 80 percent of the units operate without a valid license. An estimated twenty thousand people in about 20 villages are adversely affected from these industrial operations. Further work would be required to determine the feasibility of undertaking remediation projects here with active stakeholder participation. Rajasthan sites Hindustan Agrochemicals Limited, Bichhadi, Rajasthan This site, which was a small industrial estate (320 hectares) manufacturing dyes and dye intermediaries, was ordered closed by the Supreme Court in 1990 (though manufacturing appears to have continued in some plants till 1995). It remains a significantly polluted place due to inadequate remediation post-closure. Indiscriminate surface dumping of sludge along with irrigation with contaminated groundwater since 1989-90, has contributed to serious soil contamination. Blacksmith supported the formation of a multi-stakeholder group to help develop an action oriented program but since the site is under Supreme Court oversight, the extent of intervention must be limited. It was felt that high priority would be to provide clean and safe drinking water to the afflicted populations while the Supreme Court recommendations are being implemented. With this objective, Blacksmith Institute is providing overview to a project implemented by the local Rotary Club and Rotary International for the provision of clean drinking water through the installation of treatment plants at five hamlets of Bicchadi. Sanganer, Rajasthan Sanganer is a town of 30,000 situated around seventeen kilometers from Jaipur. It is famous for its dyeing and printing industries. No proper drainage system exists in the area and wastewater tends to accumulate in the surroundings. The groundwater is heavily over-exploited by the water-intensive industries and has become contaminated. Studies need to be conducted to

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determine the extent of contamination and alternatives explored to provide potable drinking water to the affected populations. Bhiwadi and Chopanki There are eight secondary lead smelters operating in Bhiwadi and two in Chopanki. Lead scrap is kept in the open and lead recovered in pit or rotary furnaces. There are no operational safety procedures in place. Women and children are engaged in breaking up used batteries to extract lead scrap. Health studies need to be conducted to assess the impact of lead pollution in the local population. The project has been seeking a local champion to undertake such studies here and set up a multi-stakeholder group that will be actively involved in any remediation efforts undertaken. Uttar Pradesh sites Daurala, Meerut The DCM group of factories at Daurala have polluted water sources claim the residents here. A study conducted by IIT-Roorkee found significant amounts of lead, aluminium, nickel and even cyanide in the water sources in the vicinity of the industries. The region is flat, and liquid waste dumped in shallow lagoons near the villages were observed. We were also told that villagers do not use certain tube wells, because of their chemical odor and known illness response. Blacksmith funded the Janhit Foundation to carry out investigative studies in the area in 2004-2005. Our partner initiated a dialogue with the industry owners and report that certain measures have been undertaken by the industry to reduce pollution discharge. This is perhaps the rare example in the country when a powerful industrial house was persuaded and convinced by the local community and the strong findings of the environmental and health study conducted two years back to come forward and carry out its corporate responsibility. Kanpur Noraiakheda, a settlement of some 30,000 people, has developed on a plume of tannery chemicals, including dyes and hexavalent chromium (Cr VI) used in the preservation of leather. A basic chrome sulfate manufacturing plant for tanneries has left a legacy of chromium, lead, and pesticide pollution. Large amounts of the chemical waste produced here were buried on the grounds of the old plant. This contaminated material has polluted groundwater, and therefore wells and drinking water. A pioneering trial program was implemented, partnered with the Central Pollution Control Board, involved injecting chemicals into the groundwater that enable the toxic hexavalent version of chromium to bind to the soil and keep it from contaminating water. The trial was successful, with levels of hexavalent chromium in some of the test wells dropping to non-detectable levels. The local SHG is now reviewing how the results of this trial can be used to design a large scale remediation project. Panki Katra, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh The Panki Thermal Power Plant in Kanpur was first commissioned in 1973. It uses 3,000 tons of coal and churns out 40 tons of fly ash every day. According to the Central Pollution Control Board Annual Report 2002-2003, the ash pond at the plant had been completely filled and the ash pond overflow was draining into the Pandu River. This has resulted in ash covering fertile areas of land near the river. Blacksmith has supported a project to restore the fertility of the soil so that it can be used for floriculture.

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Chinhat, Uttar Pradesh Lindane is banned or severely restricted in over 50 countries but is still produced in India, which has a total lindane production capacity of 1,300 tons per year. There are two manufacturers: Kanoria Chemicals and Industries Limited with a capacity of 1,000 tons per annum, and India Pesticides Limited with 300 tons per annum. Both these industries have been accused of dumping contaminated muck and sludge generated from the production process in surrounding villages. Blacksmith has established a Stakeholder Group at Chinhat, which meets regularly and is also supporting a trial project implemented by one of the prestigious research institution in the country – Industrial Toxicology Research Centre – using bioremediation to remediate a site where sludge was dumped. The technology has been developed by the Environment Biotechnology Department and successfully tried under lab conditions. Bioremediation is already an established low–cost technology but is a slow-paced process as it involves the degradation using the microorganisms. The project commenced in 2007 and is expected to give out the first trial results by 2008 end. Anwarganj, Kanpur Cownpore Chemical Works Private Limited was founded in 1928 and was in operation for more than sixty years. A residential colony has developed on the land formerly occupied by the industry. Chemicals from the industry’s operations have seeped into the groundwater and contaminated it. The concentration of hexavalent chromium is especially high; almost 1,000 times permissible levels. This area should be included under cleanup of groundwater contamination in Kanpur, for which planning is underway following the successful remediation trials. Jharkhand sites: Kandra and Ratanpur Village, Jharkhand Kandra lies around 23 kilometers west of Jamshedpur city in Jharkhand whereas Ratanpur village lies a further two and a half kilometers away. Two sponge iron factories operate in these villages. They have attracted strong protests from local residents for degrading the environment and damaging agricultural production. The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board officials acknowledge the pollution problem but feel that this can be controlled with proper usage of the current pollution-control equipment to minimize environmental pollution and subsequent health risks. No further Blacksmith action required. Roro Hills, Jharkhand Roro village is situated about 22 kilometers from Chaibasa, district headquarters of the West Singhbhum district. For the last two decades a massive pile of chrysotile asbestos waste mixed with chromite has been lying on the hilltops. Over the years this waste has spread downhill contaminating soil, agricultural fields and water bodies and poisoning local residents. Of particular concern are vulnerable populations like children who play on the heap and the elderly who cross this route to graze cattle at higher elevations. This waste is also being illegally used as filling material in the construction of roads in the area. Blacksmith supported the Occupational Safety & Health Association of Jharkhand that has established a Stakeholder Group, involving district and state level concerned departments, to assess the current health situation and environmental risks that being posed to the local population and to promote practical solutions.

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Orissa Orichem Ltd., Angul Thalcher

M/s.Orichem Ltd., now a defunct plant, is located at the village Balanda near Talcher and in the district of Angul, Orissa. This company was engaged in production of Chrome salts such as Sodium Dichromate and Basic Chrome Sulfate from 1983 to 1998 until the unit was closed. This abandoned site exists primarily inside the factory premises, where chromium waste is dumped haphazardly inside as well as outside along the boundaries. As per one estimate, the chromium waste quantity is around 60000 MT. Of especially high concern is that rain and uncontrolled drainage are resulting in toxic Cr(+6) bearing leachate which is conveyed off site via drainage paths, finding its way to River Brahmani.

This site has been selected for a Demonstration pilot of Engineered Wetlands Technology, with design inputs from a highly experienced member of Blacksmith’s Technical Advisory Board. A request for suport has been sent to the ADB’s Pilot and Demonstration Activity Program. 3c) Intervention Design and Implementation From this summary, it can be seen that the initial site assessments provided first-hand insight into the pollution situation and the opportunity to identify local champions, as well as evaluate intervention designs for further action. Of the 34 sites visited, about one third are either active sites where the priority is to control the on-going discharges or sites where the problems are already under the control of the relevant authorities. In neither case is additional intervention under this project is considered to bring appreciable additional benefits. There are a small number where either the main source of the problem is not industrial or where there does not appear to be a linkage between the pollution and recognized health problems. No further action is proposed at these sites. There are also about half a dozen sites where there may be a link between pollution and health but this link is unclear or has not been examined in detail. Carrying out relevant epidemiological or technical studies was not within the scope of this project. However, the value of such studies was discussed with the relevant parties during site visits and may be part of ongoing pollution management efforts. Of the remaining sites, there are seven where specific interventions were pursued under this project (as described in the following section) and there are four or five where the scale and complexity of the problems are beyond the scope of the project. These latter are typically well known sites where the challenges are related to large scale industry (individual plants or estates) and often involve a difficult mix of on-going pollution and past dumping of wastes and effluents. The approaches and methodologies applied under this project do have relevance to such sites but the scale is such that the problems need to be addressed by state and national governments as priorities, bringing in relevant international expertise as appropriate in designing and implementing practical solutions.

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3d) Multi-Stakeholder Groups and Remediation Pilots The Initial Site Assessments very specifically address the institutional aspects of each situation, as well as the technical challenges. Blacksmith’s approach relies heavily on building local consensus around the seriousness of a given problem and a common commitment to finding and putting into place appropriate practical remedies. The interventions which are developed from the ISAs (in those sites where continued involvement under the project was seen to be justified) therefore comprised both support for the process of finding solutions as well as the design and financing of pilot remediation activities. In several of the cases, formal Stakeholder Groups (SHGs) were established, with support from the project. In most cases, these groups have identified and supported pilot remediation measures, the implementation of which has also been supported under the project. The SHGs and the pilot remediation projects are described in some detail in the following sections. Establishment of Stakeholder Groups Stakeholder groups have been formed for selected projects with the prime objective of providing a platform to generate collaborative efforts by the government and public towards cleaning up toxic industrial sites, through the identification of issues, problems, challenges and information gaps at different bureaucratic levels. In some cases, the SHGs have evolved into relatively formal bodies, with regular meetings and structured agendas and minutes. In others, progress has been slower, usually due to the reluctance of one or more key stakeholders to become involved in the process. Overall, however, they have demonstrated the essential value of a cooperative and inclusive process of tackling these complicated problems. Kanpur Stakeholders Project Since 2004 Blacksmith and Ecofriends, a local environmental group in Kanpur, have been working with a consortium of Indian research institutions and neighborhoods to clean up the groundwater contamination in Nauraiakheda. Ecofriends convened a multi-stakeholder group with Blacksmith’s support to ensure a collaborative approach in this venture with active involvement of the local people. The members of the group includes District Magistrate, regional officers from CPCB and UPPCB, representatives from the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation, Kanpur Nagar Nigam, Ganga Pollution Control Unit & Jal Sansthan, a local body under UP Government and concerned citizens. The first formal meeting was held in February 2006 when Richard Schaffner, a Senior Technical Expert from GZA, who was in India to oversee the initial implementation phase of the groundwater project, gave a presentation to the stakeholders updating them about the proposed plan of action for the pilot groundwater remediation project in Kanpur. In the subsequent four meetings, the group was updated with the status of the pilot scale remediation tests being undertaken.

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Key Achievements of the project • The district administration and relevant government agencies have been engaged in

discussing the status of the hazardous industrial waste and groundwater contamination problem in Kanpur. This group decided to meet even after the Blacksmith support and has assured to extend full cooperation in the full scale remediation, if undertaken by the GoI in future.

• The group provided a platform for discussion of the specific issues of the groundwater pilot, as well as for the wider problems of providing adequate alternative water supplies to the people of Nauraiakdeda.

• Certain awareness measures were also undertaken such as putting up of warning boards in the study area to let the people know about the contamination status of their drinking water sources.

• Efforts have been made to arrange for alternate drinking water for the community residing in the study area such as proposals to Jal Nigam. In the meantime, tanker water is being supplied by the district authorities

Gujarat Stakeholders Group In Ahmedabad, a multi-stakeholder group was brought together by Blacksmith, with their partner the Society for Environment Protection. The group has taken responsibility for identifying key polluted areas in the state and designing feasible strategies to deal with the issues in order of importance. The group meets quarterly at various identified sites in Gujarat and includes members from research institutions, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, industrial associations, local NGOs and concerned citizens. Surveys have been conducted jointly by the members at Kharicut canal in Ahmedabad, River Mini at Nandesari, Amlakhadi at Ankleshwar, and Muthia village at Naroda, Ahmedabad. A remediation pilot at Muthia has been undertaken following inspections at that site and with the support and involvement of the local stakeholders Various recommendations were put forward by the members such as demarcating industrial properties, conducting soil and water tests, and strict monitoring of industries especially at night when industries release poisonous gases. Stakeholders at Ankleshwar have also decided to develop a joint remediation project at one legacy site in the Industrial Area. Another sites being discussed with the SHG are Hema Chemicals at Vadodara and the Vapi Industrial Area. Roro Hills Stakeholders Group At Roro village near Chaibasa, a massive pile (0.7 million tons) of chrysotile asbestos waste mixed with chromite has been lying on the edge of the village. Blacksmith is working with the Occupational Safety & Health Association of Jharkhand (OSHAJ) and a local NGO Ekta to initiate this project. Several preliminary consultation meetings with the different government officials at different agencies such as the Health Department, the State Pollution Control Board and Department of Mining& Geology in the first few months. Meetings were also held with the locals of the affected area and the district administration. A district level stakeholder committee has been formed chaired by the Additional District Collector of the state and met twice in July &

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August 2007. (The process followed towards the formation of the SGH is shown in the Diagram below.). The key Achievements of the project:

1) A platform is set where the communities of Roro and Tilaisud have come forward as conscious stakeholders and are sharing views with the government officers after two and a half decades of inaction.

2) The district administration, the district mining officer and others are finding out ways to solve the problems and tracing out the mining company responsible for this misdeed.

3) The changes include opening up of dialogue among the stakeholders; correspondences going on with the mining company; the Ministry of Company Affairs undergoing sensitization; and moving towards a common understanding among the stakeholders on a strategy (mine cleaning) to solve the problems.

4) The committee has sensitized the Chairman, Jharkhand Legislative Committee on Environment Protection who would not only be discussing this issue in its next meeting but also feature an article in their magazine on Health & Environment.

5) On the District Mining Officer suggestion, the committee has also written to The Ministry of Company's Affair through Right to information Act to know whereabouts the Hyderabad Asbestos Cement Products Ltd to trace out the company.

Letter

Correspondences & email

Discussions

Over Telephone

Documentation of Information & dissemination

Site visit across the Roro Hills & River, village level meetings

Planning & Situation Analysis

Meetings & Sharing Views with the prospecting members

Formation of Stakeholders Committee

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Chinhat Stakeholders Group A lindane manufacturing industry at Chinhat, Uttar Pradesh has been dumping HCH contaminated muck at Ummaria village (and other sites) for the past several years. A multi-stakeholder group comprising of representatives from the government, pollution control board, NGOs, industry representatives, municipal authorities and the community has been brought together at Chinhat, through the efforts of the Center for Environment (CEE). The group is meeting regularly on quarterly basis under the chairmanship of Director, UP Environment and discussing set agendas within the scope of the project. The efforts are on towards: • Understanding and prioritizing the issues of concern of the various stakeholders; consensus and dissent regarding the various issues related to remediation of HCH contamination. • Exchanging experiences and in formations among the multistakeholder group on the issues, problem and solution for lindane pollution in the target area. • Conducting an environment, socio-economic, health and agriculture risk assessments caused due to lindane contamination and create awareness among the community on the possible ways to improve and combat the same. • Facilitating the trial experiment to remediate the HCH contaminated land, as is now being carried out by ITRC, one of the members of the multi-stakeholder group UP Council for Agriculture Research (UPCAR) representative informed the group in its second meeting that earlier they used to prescribe the use of Lindane in certain agricultural practices but now have removed recommendation of Lindane for all agricultural practices in the state. This is indeed a very laudable outcome of the initial meetings. Picnic Gardens, Kolkuta Blacksmith Institute working with GREENC to bring together key stakeholders around the lead smelter issues at Picnic Gardens. The initial objective of this group is to educate the affected population about the importance of general hygiene and its impacts on the quality of life. Initially, there was some suspicion and resistance by the workers, however now a core has been formed which includes, the counselor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, SPCB, women, workers, old people, owners of the smelter units, representatives of NGOs/other institutions operating in the area. Motivators have been appointed at the community level whose prime responsibility is to make people aware of environmental and health-related issues. In the subsequent meetings, local MLA has been contacted and his help is being sought. The core group is now sitting with the technical persons in the group to initiate a plan as to the ways of reducing pollution without completely disrupting the small scale industries. It was recognized by the group that the process should ideally not affect the livelihood of any person, be it the owners or the workers. A separate meeting with the factory owners and the workers is in the pipeline so that they could independently express their views. Bichadi, Rajasthan Bichadi is a very well known and rather controversial site, which is currently under review and direction from the Supreme Court. Blacksmith has partnered with ALERT (Active for Literacy and Environmental Renovation Task) Sansthan for coordinating the formation of a multi-

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stakeholder group. The team has met with the Rajasthan Pollution Control Board at Jaipur and with MOEF in New Delhi to ensure that there are no formal objections to working for the welfare of the local community around the controversial industrial site (but not on the premises of the industry). Initial meetings have been organized and a health survey and background study conducted. The local partners are working with the communities in the affected areas, in support of a project funded by Rotary (local and International) to provide some small water treatment systems, where the groundwater is not useable for domestic or agricultural purposes. REMEDIATION PILOTS To demonstrate how remediation efforts could be started, even with relatively limited resources, four site-specific pilot projects were selected for early implementation under the project and a fifth was initiated as a generic approach for treatment of contaminated groundwater to allow its use for non-potable purposes. The main pilots are: · Kanpur Groundwater Contaminated with Hexavalent Chromium (UP) · Muthia Hazardous Waste Dumps (Gujarat) · Chinhat land Decontamination from Lindane Pesticide (UP) · Panki Land Rehabilitation (UP) · Basic water treatment (being trialed in Rajasthan) The summary of the pilots undertaken is as follows. Kanpur Groundwater Contaminated with Hexavalent Chromium (UP) Through this project, the successful treatment of groundwater contaminated by hexavalent chromium was pioneered in India. Four prestigious Indian organizations collaborated in the investigation and implementation - CPCB North Zone office, Industrial Toxicology Research Center (ITRC), Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and National Geophysical Research Institute. Kanpur is the largest and most industrialized city of Uttar Pradesh state and the fifth most polluted & the most populous city in the country. It has around 350 leather tanning industries in the eastern part of the city and many of these discharges untreated effluent into the River Ganges, as well as producing a toxic sludge of hexavalent chromium (Cr VI), arsenic, cadmium, zinc, mercury, nickel and cobalt that has deleteriously polluted the shallow groundwater systems in the city. Noraiakheda, a settlement of some 30,000 people, has developed over a plume of tannery chemicals, including dyes and hexavalent chromium (Cr VI), the source of which is the toxic sludge from an old chemical manufacturing unit in the neighborhood. The pilot study was designed to demonstrate the efficacy of a bioremediation approach for the study area. This approach has been used internationally but ever put to the practical test in India. The selected approach leverages the biogeochemical relationship between hexavalent chromium and trivalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium, which is the primary contaminant of concern, is a mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic compound that is relatively stable under aerobic conditions. However the chemical can be converted to its relatively innocuous trivalent state under anaerobic chemically reducing conditions. The approach involves injecting an

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electron donor to the groundwater system to stimulate the transformation of hexavalent chromium into a nontoxic and more stable trivalent form. Ecocycle/GZA (as remedial design engineering consultants & remedial product supplier) and the Central Pollution Control Board (as regulatory authority) worked with Blacksmith Institute to undertake this first project of its kind in the country. A well field was installed in a portion of the contaminated groundwater system. Samples of groundwater were analyzed for 16 criteria metal & other parameters. The well field included an injection well and three nearby monitoring wells (one side gradient and two down-gradient ones). The electron donor compound (EDC) was injected into the injection well, and groundwater monitoring of the injection/monitoring wells was performed to evaluate performance. Five phases of post injection monitoring phase were then executed for the same parameters as used for baseline sampling. The trial was successful, with levels of hexavalent chromium in some of the test wells dropping to nondetectable levels.

Figure: The bio-remediation modal followed at Kanpur. The area covered by the trial was small, to allow results to be seen in a short period. Subsequently, GZA has prepared an action plan for full-scale remediation of the study site and this is estimated to cost around $ 2m to $4m. Discussions have been held to find ways to reduce this cost. It is possible that the pilot may be picked up by the World Bank in its planed support for a national hazardous waste project with the Governement of India. The other achievements, the project has attained are summarized below:

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1. In the process of investigations, a regular interaction with local community was established. As a matter of great curiosity, the project team often witnessed local contenment that the age-old problem of polluted groundwater resource in their vicinity is being addressed systematically

2. The local community received regular attention towards observing personal hygiene and safety precautions especially in terms of polluted groundwater zones identified as a result of systematic and detailed investigations carried-out in the project.

3. The Consortium of Institutions collaborating in the project focused their attention for a national issue and agreed for pooling their resources

4. The project activities also attained media attention and the concerted approach was well recognized.

Community Involvement: Blacksmith partnered with a local NGO- Ecofriends to ensure proper community participation in the project. Ecofriends has been active in garnering community and government support for this project through the convocation of the stakeholder group constituted by members representing a wide range of interests and expertise. The technical team, who designed and implemented the pilot demonstration, presented the technology being used to the stakeholders and answered their concerns. The stakeholder group has also been lobbying for alternative sources of clean drinking water to the populations affected by the groundwater contamination, since this is their immediate concern. Muthia Hazardous Waste Dumps (Gujarat) Muthia village lies on the eastern periphery of Ahmedabad City and borders a major industrial estate operated by the Naroda Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation(GIDC). Approximately 60,000 tons of sludge from effluent treatment plants and other untreated waste has been dumped along the boundary between the industrial estate and the village over the last decade. These hazardous wastes have leached into the groundwater, which has turned yellow/red. Monsoon rains wash and spread the contaminated sludge over wide areas. Concept Biotech and the Society for Environmental Protection have been studying contamination in this village since 1996. In partnership with local authorities and these NGOs, Blacksmith funded the implementation of a three phase clean-up, the last phase of which is the treatment of the site with vermiculture – using worms – which concentrate heavy metals in their bodies, and reduce contamination in the soil. Originally a site containing and estimated 150 tons of hazardous wastes had been targeted for initiating a pilot-scale intervention project. But when the project commenced, it was discovered that the dumps extended deep into the ground and needed to be excavated. Heavy machinery and equipment were hired for this purpose. Eventually nearly 3,000 tons of hazardous wastes were excavated from the project site and sent to the hazardous waste disposal facility operated by the Naroda Enviro Projects Ltd (NEPL). The costs of this lifting, which were much greater than the project could have afforded, were borne by local industry, which was a major contribution to the project. The remaining contaminated ground was then treated with active bacterial inoculants to which five tons of vermi-castings were applied after tilling. In two phases during the monsoon season, around 1,200 liters of solution was applied. The application of worm culture was done every

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three months after tilling and mulching the soil. The plot is being monitored every quarter to evaluate the effectiveness of this technology by soil testing, worm testing and analysis of heavy metals in plant residue. Plantation was also carried out during the monsoon. More than 250 medicinal plants and 50 tree species like Azadirachta & Gulmohar were planted at the periphery of the plot. Selected species of the trees will be planted in the final step. This first plot affected by dumping has been remediated, although another round of de-contamination was recommended. With the extension of this project to another year, the second round of de-contamination using vermin-technology was undertaken. This year approx. 200L of EM solution has been applied, followed by introduction 8 tons of vermin-cast and 40 kg worms. The analysis of earthworm will be done by the result of which help us in determining the heavy metal accumulation in the worm biomass. This low-cost has proved highly effective in managing & treating the waste dumps world-over. This plot is only one of several “high impact” dumps in the same area and these others also need to be tackled. This exercise was documented by CNN International and aired across the globe in October 2007. (Ref: www.cnn.com/ecosolutions - see Archive; worms) Community Involvement: Blacksmith has partnered with the Society for Environmental Protection (SEP) for active community participation in the execution of this project. In a collaborative effort, the stakeholder group which was established played a pivotal role as a forum in bringing various representatives together to find an effective solution. Chinhat land decontamination (UP) There are two plants in India which produce lindane, one of which is in an industrial estate at Chinhat outside Lucknow. Lindane production results in large quantities of toxic waste by-products and, for many years before strict regulations was put in place; the wastes were dumped at various places both near the plant and futher afield. The plant no longer dumps wastes, which are now stored in a secure area on-site, but there remain an undefined number of sites in the area which have been contaminated to vary extent by wastes from the plant. The active ingredient in lindane (which also occurs in a slightly different form in the wastes) is HCH or hexachlorocyclohexane. This is ranked among the top chemicals of concern by different global environmental regulatory agencies, as exposure to it can cause severe health effects. Following discussions between the industry, technical experts and local population, which have been supported by Blacksmith in the past year, it was agreed that a bioremediation approach would be trialed on one contaminated site, as a first step in a broader program of dealing with the HCH pollution in the area. The Industrial Toxicology Research Center (ITRC) in Lucknow, is being supported by Blacksmith to conduct the bioremediation trial in one HCH-contaminated site near Chinhat, with the agreement of the lindane manufacturer and the landowner. Preliminary studies reveal the presence of 10-400 milligrams of HCH per gram of soil. The bioremediation approach to be used is the scaling up of successful laboratory work on the same type of wastes. The complete exercise is expected to be over in two years time; however the investigation phase is being covered in its first year of execution.

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Lindane (gamma isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane) disrupts endocrine and reproductive functions in mammals including humans. This pesticide, once widely used to kill lice and a variety of pests that attack agricultural products, livestock and trees, has been progressively eliminated from many applications since the mid- 1970s in Europe or USA, but is still used in the rest of the world. Lindane is absorbed through respiratory, digestive or cutaneous routes and accumulates in fat tissues and damages human liver, kidney, neural and immune systems and induces birth defects, cancer and death. Chronic administration results in endocrine disruption in birds as well as in mammals. The results of the soils samples from the contaminated site revealed the predominant presence of beta-HCH. This result suggests that the selected site received HCH in a distant past, by possibly more than 5 years. Over the long period, while other isomers have dissipated, the persistent b-HCH remains. The residual HCH might be tightly adsorbed to the soil particles and were found to be present up to 3 feet depth throughout the field. Community Involvement. A broad community awareness program on pesticides has been started, led by Centre for Environmental Education in Kanpur, to bring the problems of pesticides mis-use and waste to the attention of local farmers and landholders. This is intended to provide a context and platform for a program of pesticide clean-up that is envisaged as the logical follow on to the present pilot. Panki Katra Fly-Ash Decontamination Trial, UP Blacksmith has also undertaken a project at Panki Katra, Uttar Pradesh, to reduce the exposure of people to the impacts of toxic fly-ash which has been released from the storage ponds at Panki coal-fired power plant and deposited by floods across lands downstream. Fly ash contains toxic metals such as chromium, arsenic and cadmium and is blamed by residents of the local community for respiratory and kidney afflictions. Health conditions are aggravated in summer when a plume of fly-ash blows during strong winds causing eye irritation, skin allergies, and throat and intestinal infections. Blacksmith supported the Center for Environmental Education (CEE) to neutralize the fly-ash waste by the application of organic matter and symbiotic fungi, making it suitable for floriculture, phytoplantation and mushroom culture. (CEE has also researched the manufacture of fly-ash bricks for construction purposes and is currently implementing it on a small-scale through the UNDP/GEF small grants program.) The first step in the project was to conduct physico-chemical analysis of the contaminated soil, groundwater and fly ash and undertake a health survey of residents in the area and for this work Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur was involved. The main problem identified was copper, lead and iron which were higher than permissible Indian standards. From the experiments conducted, it has been abundantly proved that coal ash has excellent physical and chemical properties, which if utilized properly, could be a potent soil replacement substance and its extensive use in agriculture should be encouraged. The same opens up a wide field of utilisation as India is a major agriculture country. Utilization of Mychorrhizal treatment can play a very good role in effective metal bioremediation. Community Involvement During this initial study, experts in this field were consulted during a meeting held in March 2006. Various parameters of the project were discussed during this

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meeting. The team also surveyed residents impacted by the fly ash pollution and listened to their perspectives regarding health and pollution issues. In the later stages also, the results were shared with all. Basic water treatment (being trialed in Rajasthan) Rajastan is a dry state where groundwater is critical for both domestic use and for agricultural purposes. Unfortunately, industrial development without adequate pollution management has resulted in serious groundwater contamination in several areas (Pali, Bichadi, etc). A technical review has been carried out to identify the available methodologies which have the most potential to be effective at the local level. A feasibility study has been initiated to assess in the field the most effective technology to remove the contaminants in a cost-effective manner. It appears that the most promising approach is the adsorption method using low-cost material. However, for a number of reasons, the project could not be concluded within the stipulated time. Work will continue separately to address this issue, which is critical to the lives of many poor communities in India. Summary and Conclusions on interventions The essential conclusions that can be drawn are that successful interventions can be implemented at low cost, provided that: the efforts are focused on real health issues; that there is a process of consultation with knowledgeable local residents and experts; and that appropriate technological solutions are employed At the same time, it must be noted that in most of the cases described above, the work needs to progress in stages and the completion of the first stages, as discussed here, does not necessarily mean that the problems have been completely solved. In Kanpur, the work has demonstrated that the selected technology can be effectively employed in the physical and hydrological conditions that exist there. However, estimates based on the initial results have shown that the costs of full remediation of the groundwater are likely to cost millions of dollars. In Muthia, the first area affected by dumping has been remediated to a large degree, although another round of recommended decontaminations is underway. However, this plot is only one of several “high impact” dumps in the same area and these others also need to be tackled. The experience to date provides much confidence in the approaches used and so realistic plans can be developed for the remaining sites. Muthia is also a good example of how a number of different pollution sources can combine to really impact an unfortunate community. The experiences in Muthia and the work done by the Stakeholder Group in Gujarat also provide a strong basis of practical knowledge to begin to address other, more complicated sites in that State and others. In terms of technical approaches, these pilots demonstrate that use of bioremediation has potentially large benefits, in contexts where labour and time are much more readily available than equipment and capital. It is important to adapt generic approaches to the specific local conditions but the strong technical expertise available in India means that this adaptation can be undertaken.

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4. Project Outputs and Outcomes Outputs The original proposal set out a number of outputs to be achieved. The major outputs are those summarised above: ISAs, Remediation Plans and Pilot Projects. The targets have been achieved, as are documented in this report and the accompanying volume of ISAs. The other outputs indicated in the proposal for the project are: (i) documentation of the methodology and of the processes of implementation; (ii) availability of the findings, outcomes and approaches on the Blacksmith website; and (iii) a Workshop to discuss and disseminate the activities and the findings. Methodology and process The Initial Site Assessments (ISA) is a critical part of the overall methodology and the application of these is documented in detail in the project documents. The importance of the Stakeholder Groups has also been emphasized in this report and, again, the application of this approach is documented. Website Summaries of individual site are already available on Blacksmith’s website (www.blacksmithinstitute.org) and plans are in hand for a separate section of that site to be set up specifically for the results of this project. That section will then be provided links on the ADB website and on those of all the partners who wish to do so. Workshop The Dissemination Workshop in Delhi was held in February 2007 that had present the main results of the work under the project and accept feedback and suggestions from those involved in the many aspects of this project and also invited specialists. The project reports have been revised as appropriate to reflect this discussion and feedback. Impacts and Outcomes In any project such as this, the overall impact and outcome must be more that just the set of activities that has been completed. In the case of this project the effects can be considered at different levels. Impacts The immediate impacts of the overall project can be seen at the pilot project level, where the process has generally been as important as the specific technical interventions. At Muthia, the remediation of the first “high Impact” plot has both stimulated and benefited from broader efforts to deal with pollution from the industrial estate and especially the impacts on Muthia village. Beyond the Muthia pilot, the SHG in Gujarat has also identified and assessed other priority sites, which should be tackled in follow-ups to this project. In Kanpur, the successful trial of the remediation technology has opened the door for a larger effort to deal with the increasing contamination of the groundwater source although the next

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steps remain to be defined. The outline is being prepared of a large scale project which the state or national government will be requested to take up, and which will be structured so as to be suitable for presentation to the other international funding agencies. The pilot on pesticide waste in Chinhat has actually emerged from local discussions, which were supported by Blacksmith, on dealing with pesticides and pesticide wastes more generally. The remediation pilot is addressing one aspect of the overall problem but is a key part of efforts to reduce the impact of pesticides. The work on local scale water treatment (now being piloted in Rajasthan) has been slow to develop because of the complexity and political sensitivity of the pollution issues in those areas and the effort required to focus energy on addressing the immediate problems of the villagers. However, the potential impact of this work is very important. Outcomes It is still early to be identifying broad outcomes from the Polluted Places initiative but there are some emerging areas where the work has had significant influence and is beginning to affect the way that pollution issues and remediation are addressed. One of the most important aspects is the clear value that can be seen in the cooperative model of dealing with the contamination. This model concentrates on the remediation rather than recrimination – while expecting those responsible to contribute to the cleanup and encouraging the regulatory authorities to put pressure on offenders to take action. The approach reflects the realities on the ground and is built on identifying and tackling those issues where a consensus can be built as to their importance and priority. Building this consensus is not always easy, as is demonstrated in some of the sites addressed, but where it can be developed it does lead to rapid progress (as was demonstrated in Muthia, for example). Related to this approach is the value and effectiveness of concentrating on the 3 Ps - pathway and on the people who are affected by pollution. Taking skeptics to see toxic dust blowing through a classroom window or to face a family whose well is now issuing red, pungent water is very convincing. It is much easier to build a consensus for remediation when the current damage and the potential benefits of the intervention are clear. At the same time, the focus on pathways and population provides a different and more effective conceptual framework for tackling complex and large scale problems (“area problems” rather than point sources). Dealing with these large problems is frequently thwarted because no single intervention (on one source or discharge) is going to bring a major improvement and so there is great resistance to anybody taking the first step. By working backwards from the impacts, a set of practical interventions can be developed where all the parties have to share the costs and efforts but they can also see clear potential benefits. One pleasing outcome of the interventions is the way in which actually starting practical implementation can catalyse a broader set of interventions. In so many cases of complicated pollution problems, the need for action becomes swamped by debates over responsibilities, options, objectives etc. This can produce the classic syndrome of “the best is the enemy of the good”. Whether the problem is pesticides, water pollution to toxic dumps, the first step is often the most important. This overall project demonstrates the value of this approach, for the

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confidence and direction that it provide as well as for the practical results that the initial intervention can provide. In a number of examples, the success of the first intervention has resulted in the identification of more problems to be tackled, which rather than being disheartening is seen as sign of growing confidence that something can be done. At the same time, of course, it increases the scale of the challenges and the need for resources to tackle them. The whole Nomination/ISA process, which is at the core of this project, has also put the spotlight on sites and issues that are very important but that are beyond the scope of this project. Nevertheless, bringing a new approach and view point can begin to catalyse efforts, as is being seen with the work of the Stakeholder Group in Gujarat. At sites where the impacts are severe but where cooperative action across a number of related issues can be effective, the basis is being identified for large scale interventions, requiring support from the national level (with technical and operational inputs as appropriate from international agencies who can bring relevant experience).

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5. Maintaining the Momentum The work that is described here is part of a broader effort being led by MoEF/CPCB to really come to grips with the legacy of pollution and contamination that is the unfortunate consequence of the strong growth of the Indian economy over the past two decades or so. That effort is gaining momentum, with support from this work under the ADB PEP program. The immediate needs are for:

• Continuation of the efforts started here in order to identify further priority sites and problems;

• More resources to implement further stages of the work initiated here; • A major push for awareness, together with assignment of responsibility and liability at

each site; • Increased efforts to address the major contaminated sites which require sophisticated

management and large scale investment.

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Photo Gallery of Project Activities

Kanpur Groundwater Remediation (Uttar Pradesh)

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Muthia Hazardous Waste Pilot (Gujarat)

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Tackling India’ Polluted Places: Workshop in New Delhi on 22nd Feb., 2007

Chinhat Stakeholders Group Discussing Lindane Pesticide Issues

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Lindane (HCH) Bioremediation Pilot (Uttar Pradesh)

Picnic Garden Stakeholders Group, Kolkata ( West Bengal)

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Water Treatment Feasibility Pilot ( In Rajasthan)