E-waste on Ramganga banks has toxic chemicals: Panel to NGT

E-waste lying on the banks of the Ramganga river in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh contains hazardous chemicals such as chromium and cadmium, a committee has told the National Green Tribunal.
The committee, comprising officials of the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Moradabad Nagar Nigam, UP Public Works Department and the UP Rural Engineering Services, told the tribunal that the concentration of metals in the e-waste, which was in the form of black powder, was above the prescribed level.
The committee was formed by the NGT.
"The UP Pollution Control Board collected samples of e- waste from four locations -- Lalbagh, Dashwanghat, Nawabpura and Barbwalan. The samples were analysed by Indian Institute of Toxicology Research...

"The analysis report indicated presence of chromium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, manganese and zinc in the black powder. The concentration of metals in the black powder is above the threshold limit as specified in Schedule-II of the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, thus rendering the dumped black powder as hazardous waste," the report said.
The committee said the UPPCB has initiated the process of inviting technical experts for on-site remediation of the black powder lying on the banks through low-cost treatment.

"Expression of Interest has been invited for carrying out study in Moradabad for assessment of environmental problem due to unauthorised unscientific recycling of e-waste and disposal of black powder generated from the process of recycling through low-cost in-situ technology for treatment and stabilisation of solid waste bearing metallic contamination. Processes like bio-remediation, Phytoremediation/in-situ stabilisation are being explored," it said.

The report was submitted in pursuance to the NGT's May 3 direction, asking the district magistrate to hold a meeting and submit a detailed report on the issue.
The tribunal was hearing a petition filed by scientist Mahendra Pandey, through advocate Gaurav Bansal, seeking action against illegal processing of electronic waste in Moradabad, Bareilly and Shahjahanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh along the Ramganga river, an important tributary of the Ganges.
The green panel had announced that anyone found dumping electronic waste (e-waste) on the banks of the Ramganga river in Moradabad would have to pay Rs 1 lakh as environment compensation.

The bench had also made it clear that the environment compensation would vary from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh depending on the quantum of waste dumped.
The bench noted that the Ramganga river is highly polluted.
The river, which spans a length of 596 kms, carries a BOD load (biochemical oxygen demand) of 128 tonnes per day and is polluted by heavy discharge from various industries such as sugar, distillery, pulp and paper, textile and dying, it noted.