32 No. residents accuse pharma company of dumping untreated effluents into Rani Khola

GANGTOK, 02 Dec: A section of the people from 32 Mile between Ranipool and Singtam along NH 31A, have alleged that Torrent Pharmaceutical Company based in their area has been dumping untreated waste chemicals into Rani Khola. This, they contend, the company was doing in secrecy at night. Claiming that they have videographed evidence of this unauthorized dumping, they also alleged that despite having brought the issue to the notice of the State Pollution Control Board, Sikkim, some months back, they are yet to see any action being taken or corrective measure adopted.

They are convinced that the SPCB has not even investigated their complaint seriously and informed that the site was visited only once by an assistant scientific officer of the Board.
The complaining residents were represented at a press conference here today by YT Lepcha, Tharpa Bhutia, Aho-Yangthang panchayat, Basu Dev Adhikari and Dorji Bhutia. Mr. Lepcha, it may be recalled, had undertaken a parallel support hunger strike in Gangtok when Anna Hazare was fasting at Ram Lila ground in New Delhi.
The 32 No. residents also shared copies of their correspondence on the matter with the company management, SPCB and Forest Department.
They informed that the attention of the residents was piqued by a strong stink of chemicals from the Rani Khola and upon investigation found what they suspect to be untreated effluents being dumped in the river. This, they inform, was immediately brought to the notice of the concerned Range Officer of the Forest Department and the SPCB but not action has been taken yet.
Later, they also discovered what they insist is an underground pipeline dumping chemical waste directly into the river and SPCB officials were informed again, but to no avail.
Addressing the media today, they announced that if no action was initiated soon, they would approach other forums to stop the pollution.