India – Amlakhadi River
Water, soil, direct contact
The Gujarat Stakeholder Group
The Problem
The Amlakhadi River is a tributary of the Narmada River. The Bharuch Enviro Aqua Infrastructure Ltd. (BEAIL) collects waste from three Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) industrial estates: Ankleshwar GIDC, Jhagadia GIDC and Panoli GIDC and discharges it into the Amlakhadi, which flows for about ten kilometers before converging with the Narmada.
Blacksmith investigators, working with local stakeholders including GIDC and the State Pollution Control Board identified illegal waste dumps along the river, for which remediation has been planned.
Health Impact
Nausea, skin rashes, burning sensation, digestive tract problems and respiratory tract problems are common ailments reported by people living near the river.
Past Activity
Blacksmith visited this site on May 25, 2005. The Gujarat Stakeholder Group, funded by Blacksmith, is working on a project proposal to conduct remediation here.
Current Activity
Surveys have been conducted jointly by the members at Kharicut canal in Ahmedabad, River Mini at Nandesari, Amlakhadi at Ankleshwar, and Muthia village at Naroda, Ahmedabad.
Various recommendations were put forward by the members like demarcating industrial properties, conducting soil and water tests, and strict monitoring of industries especially during the night when industries release poisonous gases. The various stakeholders at Amlakhadi have also decided to work out a joint remediation project proposal at a legacy site at Ankleshwar Industrial Area.