FIR after AAP MLA spots ‘Himachal toxic waste‘ in Satluj; no factories named

Patiala: Punjab Police have registered an FIR against unidentified industrial owners in Himachal Pradesh’s Baddi-Nalagarh belt for allegedly dumping hazardous chemical waste into Sirsa river, which feeds into Satluj river upstream of the Ropar Headworks.The case was registered at City Ropar police station on a complaint by AAP MLA from Ropar Dinesh Chadha after chemical sludge and industrial waste allegedly floated near the headworks on Sunday morning.Chadha said he, Ropar municipal council president Inderpal Singh ‘Raju’ Satyal and locals discovered the foul-smelling layer of chemical sludge during a walk. Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) officials collected water samples and recovered an “SSF“-marked thermocol packaging slab.Preliminary inquiries allegedly indicated a connection with an industrial enterprise in Baddi, Solan district, but police were yet to establish whether the material originated from a particular industrial unit or was disposed of through a third-party contractor.The FIR was filed under sections 270 (public nuisance), 271 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 279 (fouling water of a public spring or reservoir) and 280 (making atmosphere noxious to health) of BNS, besides sections 24 and 43 of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and section 7 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. No individual or industrial unit is named so far.Chadha said the incident highlighted the need for stronger action against industrial pollution originating upstream in Himachal.“For years, industrial units in Himachal have been treating our sacred Satluj river as their private chemical dumping ground,” he said, alleging industrial waste was being discharged into Sirsa river before it enters Punjab and eventually meets Satluj near Ropar.Chadha said Satluj water feeds canal networks supplying drinking water across Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. “Discharging hazardous chemical effluents into drinking water is nothing short of playing with human lives. Why is the Himachal Pradesh govt failing to rein in its polluting industries?” Chadha asked.Ropar police station house officer Inspector Pawan Kumar said they are examining supply chains and the waste source, warning of strict legal action against all individuals and entities found liable.