IF YOU are here to set up a health camp, labourers from the plant will come in droves to get tested. There are many who suffer from skin and respiratory ailments," says Rafeeq (name changed on request). Rafeeq has worked at the naphtha terminal of Indian Oil Corporation refinery in Haryana's Panipat district for over a decade. Naphtha is a by-product of the petroleum refining process from which nearly all of the world's plastic is made. "Over the past couple of years, I have developed an acute respiratory infection. As per the doctor, the likely reason is inhalation of toxic substances," Rafeeq says.
Rafeeq's is not an isolated case. In 2020, Satpal Singh, sarpanch of Singhpura Sithana village that houses the refinery, filed a case against the plant with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for polluting the groundwater, deteriorating the air quality and negatively impacting the health of people in nearby villages. A report submitted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute to NGT found the refinery to have affected health of more than 8,500 people between 2015 and 2019. Satnam Singh, the current sarpanch of the village, says the plant is an asset for the state and there was a lot of political pressure from the state government and the Centre to withdraw the case, which the village did in 2021.
Though the case stands withdrawn, it has brought attention to toxins associated with plastic throughout the material’s life cycle.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
