Magsaysay awardee demands closure of Mehandiganj Coke plant

Varanasi, Aug 31 (UNI) Quoting a recent study alleging decreasing ground water level in eight villages of Araji Line block here, Magsaysay awardee social activist Sandip Pandey today renewed the demand for closing Mehandiganj Coca Cola plant here.

Interacting with newspersons here, Mr Pandey, also the national convenor of National Alliance of People Movement (NAPM), alleged a study conducted in eight villages within three km of Mehandiganj plant, concluded the ground water level there had gone down by 18 ft during the six years the unit has been in operation.

Mr Pandey alleged a 2004 report of Central Pollution Control Board also found traces of carcinogenic metals Cadmium and Chromium, besides Lead in the seven sludge samples take from Mehandiganj plant in 2003. ''The time has come when this Coca Cola plant is closed just like the one in Plachimada, Kerala.'' The study on the water level in the eight villages within three km from Mehandiganj plant was conducted in July and August 2006 by a US-based computer engineer Chandrika.

Ms Chandrika, summing up the findings of the study titled ''Status of water table in Mehandiganj and sorrounding villages'' said the water level in the eight villages between 1990 to 2000 decreased from 1.1 fts to 1.6 feets. But, within six years, from 2000 to August 2006, the ground water level has declined to 18 feets.

''The increase in population, bore-wells and agriculture do not account for the declining water level, but the extraction of 15 to 25 lakh litres of water (five lakh litres as reported by the plant) by the Cola plant daily could be the main reason behind the grave development,'' Ms Chandrika added.

In all eight villages -- Nagepur, Bhikaripur, Mehandiganj, Rakhona, Kallipur, Chittapur, Benipur and Kachnar -- 44 per cent of the 223 surveyed wells have dried or were on the verge of drying.

Twenty-five per cent of the wells dried after 2000, when the Cola plant became operational compared to only five per cent before, she claimed. The number of wells that dried between 2001 and 2006 increased seven times compared to 1990 to 2000, she added.

The worst affected is the Kallipur village, where eight out of 12 wells have gone dry after 2000, Ms Chandrika said.

On the status of bore-wells, 73 of which surveyed in the region, Ms Chandrika said nine of them have dried till August 2006, including four which dried up during 1990 to 2000.

Ms Chandrika, on the status of hand pumps in the villages between 1996 to 2006 said that there were only 45 hand pumps in 1996 out of which seven per cent were non operational or operating intermittently. By August 2006, the number of hand pumps increased to 220 out of which 43 per cent have either dried out or are being run intermittently, she claimed.

''The trend of increasing number of hand pumps could be due to decreasing water levels, which preclude the contruction of shallow wells,'' she added.

About the reason behind the decreasing water level, Ms Chandrika said 76 per cent of the villagers surveyed opined the presence of the Cola plant was the major contributor to the decrease in water table.

The survey was done using traditional survey methodology in form of questionnaires formatted and surveys were conducted from house to house. Sampling was done on basis of ownership of water sources (well, bore-well and hand pumps). All individual owners of water sources were interviewed.

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