Mitigating Industrial Pollution
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A PAPER ON CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY Mitigating Industrial Pollution Heather Lewis Janhit Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit non-governmental organization, actively engaged Contents in the promotion of human welfare through environmental protection since 1998. Key areas of work include: • Groundwater quality protection for human health • Provision of safe drinking water to marginalized communities Summary iv • Protection of river water quality for aquatic ecosystems • Enhancement of available water resources through water conservation measures Foreword v • Promotion of sustainable agriculture by organic farming methods Preface vi • Environmental education and empowerment of local communities Janhit Foundation undertakes this work through scientific research, campaigns, advocacy and grass- root level community involvement. 1 'Daurala: Hell on Earth' - An environmental and human health crisis identified 1 As a public interest organisation, Janhit Foundation focuses on strengthening local communities through their active participation in decision making, to achieve sustainable development. We believe that environmental degradation can only be addressed adequately if local people are 2 Industrial wastes of Daurala town and treatment methods 4 empowered in decision making at all levels and have control over resources. To achieve our goals, we work in partnership with government, non-governmental, national and 3 Environmental protection: Statutory requirements and international organisations on environment and human rights issues. Industrial compliance 13 4 Industry takes action: Social development mitigation 23 Author: Heather Lewis Study Project Team: Raman Tyagi (Team Leader), Vivek Bharti, Shiv Kumar, Lalit Tyagi 5 Mitigating industrial pollution - a work in progress: Successes, requirements for action and recommendations © Janhit Foundation, March 2007 for further research 33 6 Appendices 38 Published by JANHIT FOUNDATION D-80 Shastri Nagar Meerut-250002, Uttar Pradesh Phone: + 91 121-2763418, 4004123 • Fax: + 91 121-2763418 [email protected] • www.janhitfoundation.org Printed at Systems Vision, A-199 Okhla Ph.-I, New Delhi • [email protected] Janhit Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit non-governmental organization, actively engaged Contents in the promotion of human welfare through environmental protection since 1998. Key areas of work include: • Groundwater quality protection for human health • Provision of safe drinking water to marginalized communities Summary iv • Protection of river water quality for aquatic ecosystems • Enhancement of available water resources through water conservation measures Foreword v • Promotion of sustainable agriculture by organic farming methods Preface vi • Environmental education and empowerment of local communities Janhit Foundation undertakes this work through scientific research, campaigns, advocacy and grass- root level community involvement. 1 'Daurala: Hell on Earth' - An environmental and human health crisis identified 1 As a public interest organisation, Janhit Foundation focuses on strengthening local communities through their active participation in decision making, to achieve sustainable development. We believe that environmental degradation can only be addressed adequately if local people are 2 Industrial wastes of Daurala town and treatment methods 4 empowered in decision making at all levels and have control over resources. To achieve our goals, we work in partnership with government, non-governmental, national and 3 Environmental protection: Statutory requirements and international organisations on environment and human rights issues. Industrial compliance 13 4 Industry takes action: Social development mitigation 23 Author: Heather Lewis Study Project Team: Raman Tyagi (Team Leader), Vivek Bharti, Shiv Kumar, Lalit Tyagi 5 Mitigating industrial pollution - a work in progress: Successes, requirements for action and recommendations © Janhit Foundation, March 2007 for further research 33 6 Appendices 38 Published by JANHIT FOUNDATION D-80 Shastri Nagar Meerut-250002, Uttar Pradesh Phone: + 91 121-2763418, 4004123 • Fax: + 91 121-2763418 [email protected] • www.janhitfoundation.org Printed at Systems Vision, A-199 Okhla Ph.-I, New Delhi • [email protected] Summary Foreword In September 2005 the Janhit Foundation published their report ‘Daurala Hell on Earth: A paper of The present study entitled “Restoring Daurala: Mitigating Industrial Pollution- A paper on industrial pollution’. The report highlighted the environmental degradation at Daurala town in corporate responsibility” is more than a book which documents the follow up action taken up by the Meerut District, Uttar Pradesh, as a result of heavy metals contamination within agricultural soils. DCM industrial house immediately after the “Daurala: Hell on Earth” was released eighteen months The report focused on the resulting serious adverse impacts on the health and well being of the back. It may be one of the few examples in the country when the findings of a study have come out local residents due to the leaching of these heavy metals into their drinking water resources. with a solution. After all, this must be the objective of any research or a study. This is a result of the Inappropriate discharge of contaminated industrial wastes from local prominent industry DCM untiring efforts of Janhit Foundation to inspire, motivate and pressurize DCM Shriram Industries Shriram Industries Limited was highlighted as a primary source of metals contaminants. Limited, Daurala to come forward and share the corporate responsibility towards saving the ecology and safeguarding the human health. This not under any government’s pressure or followed up after The ‘Daurala Hell on Earth’ report concluded with a set of clear recommendations for immediate the orders pronounced by the court but because of the persuasion of a civil society organisation. It action. These recommendations focused on social and development issues, primarily the provision of took about five years to reach the destination by the organisation. The debate between environment safe drinking water for Daurala’s residents. Recommendations were also made for remedial and development is decades old. An industry gives employment to the community and helps in the measures required by DCM Shriram Industries Limited to ensure adequate treatment of industrial overall development process of the area. They must remain in operation but should also understand wastes, prevent further discharge of heavy metals and mitigate for existing environmental pollution. their responsibility towards the delicate issue of disturbance of the ecology, adverse impacts on environment and violation of human right to health. If the surrounding habitat of the industry is Since the release of the ‘Daurala: Hell on Earth’ report, the Janhit Foundation have worked in close not safe, the industry itself is bound to be adversely affected. DCM Shriram Industries Limited has co-operation with DCM Shriram Industries Limited towards the achievement of the recommended created a model for the other industrial houses to come forward to clean the environment and to actions. adopt better ways of technology operation. If they have generated pollution then it is their legal binding to mitigate it under the universal ‘Polluter Pays’ principle. Everybody is familiar with the This current study revisits Daurala town to identify where the recommendations of the September sweetness of Daurala Sugar but if it becomes bitter, things would turn upside down. 2005 report have been enacted, where further work remains and where the responsibilities for action lie. Environmental remediation, social and developmental measures voluntarily put in place The provision of safe drinking water has been very well taken up by the industrial house but the by DCM Shriram Industries Limited since September 2005 are evaluated . million dollar question is that ‘are the government departments still unaware of the plight of the people in Daurala’? The civil society organisations and the people from various movements are This study assesses the industrial wastes generated by DCM Industries Limited, their treatment aware of the hell on earth which Daurala was. The media has done a wonderful job by highlighting methodologies and their compliance with statutory and policy environmental obligations. Treatment this burning environmental problem. I am sorry to say that the concerned government departments of industrial effluents before discharge is shown to be in compliance with statutory and policy have not even made a blue print to find sustainable solutions to this monstrous problem. The obligations. Industrial waste monitoring data made available for this current study also suggests people’s representatives have also turned a blind eye to the violation of human right to water of the that wastes are in compliance with heavy metal maximum discharge specifications for those metals innocent community. identified as being in exceedence during the September 2005 survey report. However, this study identifies an inadequate monitoring dataset and makes recommendations for additional routine I sincerely thank the management of the DCM Shriram Industries Limited who have spent a monitoring to be undertaken by DCM Shriram Industries Limited, in line with statutory substantial budget for the welfare of the Dauralites. Last, but above all I sincerely congratulate requirements. The failings of Central and State Pollution