Toxic leachate overflow from Bandhwari pollutes Aravallis

GURUGRAM: Toxic leachate from the Bandhwari landfill is continuing to spill into the Aravallis, contaminating water bodies and groundwater in the forests, despite repeated complaints and a site inspection by the chairperson of the Haryana Human Rights Commission in May 2023, environmentalists have alleged.

- Leena Dhankhar

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and the district administration have been accused of contempt of court for failing to address the environmental crisis.

Residents from five villages near the landfill, with a population of over 50,000, have reported that groundwater in the area has been severely contaminated, posing severe health risks to people and wildlife.

The leachate spillage, which forms pools of toxic water in abandoned mining pits and water holes, has turned the drinking water for animals and birds poisonous. "The water quality results are alarming. The Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels in the water are 82 times above permissible limits, while Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) is 895 times over the safe threshold. Chloride and fluoride levels also exceed the limits by 21 and 9 times, respectively, making the water unfit for consumption," said Vaishali Rana, an environmental expert.