Wildlife dept writes to Gurugram civic body over leachate spill in Aravallis

The district wildlife department on Tuesday wrote to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) after the leachate from the Bandhwari landfill reached the water bodies of Aravalli forests, polluting the waters and posing a serious threat to animal life.

The department sent a team on Monday to visit the spot to check the leachate in the water pits and said the “condition was bad”.

MS Malik, the chief conservator of forests (wildlife), said their teams regularly visit the water bodies dug for wildlife in the Aravallis to ascertain their condition. “The area is a well-known habitat of wildlife such as leopards, hyenas, hedgehogs, monitor lizards, black partridges, peafowls, cobras, jackals and mongoose. Thus, we must ensure that they drink safe and clean water. However, we have been receiving complaints from environmentalists regarding the leachate in the forest area contaminating the waters,” he said.

Wildlife inspector Rajesh Chahal said they have written to MCG to check the leachate and to ensure that it is not released in the forest area or the water bodies. “The situation will worsen during monsoon as more leachate will flow into the water pits. Presently, the water pits behind the Bandhwari landfill have turned black and are unsafe for consumption,” Chahal said.

Chahal said he recently saw a nilgai drinking the leachate-mixed water and falling ill. They have requested the Haryana Pollution Control Board (HPCB) to collect samples from the pits to ascertain how toxic the water is.

City-based environmentalists too have written to MCG and the wildlife department regarding the issue.

Jyoti Raghavan, of the Aravalli Bachao citizens movement, said despite the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposing a fine of ₹100 crore on the Haryana government for continued ecological damage to the Aravallis and for the mismanagement of the Bandhwari landfill, the toxic leachate still flows into the nearby forests polluting the surface and ground water bodies.

“So many animals and birds die drinking this poisonous water. The landfill needs to be removed immediately. Gurugram and Faridabad municipal commissioners need to make waste segregation at source compulsory. There is also a need for decentralised waste management at the level of the bulk waste generators and wards. Fines and penalties on those not adhering to solid waste management (SWM) rules should be increased,” she said.

Vaishali Rana, another Gurugram-based environmentalist, said they have complained to the departments several times in the past six years but to no avail. “Wildlife department had served notices to MCG several times after our complaints but it failed to take any corrective action. Civic officials must be punished for their negligent approach and behaviour. Wildlife department is allowing MCG to destroy the eco-sensitive wildlife habitat. We have recorded videos as evidence to prove our concerns,” she said.

MCG joint commissioner Naresh Kumar insisted that they have never received any report of wildlife death from drinking leachate laced water in the Aravallis. “We often use high power suction pumps to remove leachate from forest area and pits. We have also built an elevation at the edge of the landfill to trap the leachate to the landfill. We have also lined the edges of the dump with an impermeable material, so that the leachate doesn’t seep into the ground,” he said, adding that preparations for monsoon are on so that leachate does not leak into forests.

Teams have also been deployed to remove excess leachate and release it into the sewage treatment plants (STP).