Himachal Pradesh News
Nalagarh Residents Intensify Protest Against Waste Management Plant, Demand Immediate Shutdown
Tension escalated in Himachal Pradesh’s Nalagarh area as residents of Dhabota village continued their large-scale protest against a solid waste management plant, demanding its immediate closure over alleged environmental pollution and health hazards.
Tension escalated in Himachal Pradesh’s Nalagarh area as residents of Dhabota village continued their large-scale protest against a solid waste management plant, demanding its immediate closure over alleged environmental pollution and health hazards.
The agitation entered its second consecutive day on Tuesday, with hundreds of villagers — including a large number of women — gathering outside the plant premises and raising slogans against local authorities, political leaders and pollution control officials.
Locals accused the management of the waste treatment facility and officials of the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (HPSPCB) of ignoring repeated complaints related to pollution, foul smell and contamination in the surrounding areas.
Villagers Allege Serious Health Risks
Women participating in the protest claimed that the plant has turned the area into a major health concern for nearby residents. According to villagers, waste and foul-smelling discharge from the facility have affected a nearby sports ground where local youth regularly gather.
Residents also alleged that the site has become a breeding ground for insects and pests, making daily life difficult for people living in the area. Many protesters claimed that the worsening environmental conditions are causing serious health problems in the village.
The waste management facility, operated by Shivalik Solid Waste Management Limited, has reportedly been handling hazardous industrial waste disposal and treatment operations since 2007.
Protest Intensifies As Villagers Pitch Tents Outside Plant
As the protest intensified, villagers set up tents outside the main gate of the plant and announced a round-the-clock agitation until concrete action is taken by the administration.
Police and administrative officials initially attempted to calm the protesters, but residents remained firm on their demand to shut down the facility permanently.
Later, local MLA Hardeep Bawa, former MLA Lakhwinder Rana, Nalagarh SDM Narender Ahluwalia, police officials and representatives from the HPSPCB visited the protest site to hear the grievances of local residents.
Officials Inspect Alleged Leakage Sites
Despite scorching temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius, villagers marched nearly 1.5 kilometres with officials to show locations where allegedly untreated wastewater had leaked from pipelines and seeped into nearby land and groundwater sources.
Residents termed the situation a result of “gross negligence” by the plant management and reiterated that the pollution was making the area unlivable.
During the inspection, the foul odour around the plant was reportedly so strong that several officials and political representatives covered their faces while visiting the affected spots.
Water Samples Collected For Investigation
Following the inspection, officials from the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board collected water samples from multiple locations to examine whether industrial waste and effluents were being treated according to environmental norms.
Senior administrative officials later held a high-level meeting in Nalagarh to discuss possible solutions as villagers continued their protest and warned that the agitation would continue until strict action is taken.
