DEHRADUN: In the heart of the 825-km all-weather Char Dham road widening project, the residents of villages in the vicinity of Silkyara have been grappling with piles of construction waste dumped into their villages. For half a decade now, villagers of Manjh Gaon and Vaana Gaon have been living under the looming threat of toxicwaste.
As TOI delved into the heart of Silkyara, meeting anxious villagers, a story of mounting concerns unfolded. Manjh Gaon – with 700 voters and 175 families – and Vaana Gaon, and its hundred voters from 60 families, are united in their fears of the mountain of construction waste nonchalantly scattered across the slopes of their villages.
Davesh Bijalwan, a former block development council (BDC) member of Manjh Gaon, recounted the origins of their struggle. He said, “In 2018, the first protest was launched against the dumping of Silkyara tunnel’s waste in Manjh Gaon, leading to the drying up of our water sources. Unable to address the issue on government land, it was only after persistent concerns from Manjh Gaon villagers that the company diverted the muck to the nearby Vaana Gaon about 18 months ago.”
The ongoing all-weather Char Dham road widening project has been marred by muck disposal as a recurrent concern. Several project-implementing companies have been slapped with penalties for improper dumping, including fines imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2018. Despite a substantial Rs 15 crore penalty on one of the agencies in 2020, villagers and environmentalists said that erratic waste dumping poses a threat to local streams and rivers, deviating them from their natural course and endangering nearby communities with the looming spectre of floods and flash floods.
Bijalwan highlighted the imminent threat posed by this unregulated waste disposal. “At both the sites, the waste is a call for disaster, as it does not have any protective wall or mechanism to prevent it from flowing into local streams, particularly during monsoon. Our livestock rely on the same water for drinking, and irrigation water becomes polluted due to the chemicals used in the tunnel construction. Urgent attention from the authorities is needed for these two muck dumping sites.”
Allegations from villagers suggest that the waste disposed at the Manjh Gaon site has exceeded its approved quantity, making the area even more vulnerable to mishaps. However, construction company authorities claim to have adhered to all laid procedures and norms, a statement disputed by the local residents. When TOI reached out to the company authorities, they said they would only be able to respond after two days as they were busy rescuing trapped workers.
