Samples of soil collected from around the contentious Zira liquor factory has confirmed the presence of heavy metals in the vicinity of the bottling plant, as per a report in this matter. The samples were collected by a committee set up by the government to ascertain the soil health after allegations levelled by protesters belonging to the Sanjha Zira Morcha that it was affecting the health of humans and animals around the areas, besides adversely affecting agriculture and water. Sources in the government said, “There is a presence of heavy metals found in the soil around the factory. The presence has been found upto 1.5 metres of earth underground. This shows the factory had indeed been causing pollution. We are getting experts to have a look at whether the concentration of heavy metals means that the factory was causing polluting earlier also or if this is a recent phenomenon,” a functionary of the government said. Soil around Zira liquor factory rich in heavy metals, points to pollution, reveals report He added that the concentration of heavy metals in human bodies can cause cancer. The reports need to be collated. The same government official, however, also added that a second report by another committee that was studying the impact of pollution of human health by taking blood samples of residents, had however not yet established any link of the factory with Hepatitis and some other diseases that had spread in the area. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had last month announced that the liquor factory in Zira would be shut down. Ever since the CM's announcement, the government had been keenly waiting for reports from four committees constituted by it on directions of the High Court. The four committees were to have a look at the impact of pollution on human health, animal health, soil and water. The committees had taken samples of blood from humans and animals, and also of soil and water to check the presence of pollutants discharged by the factory as being alleged by the protesters, who have been camping in front of the liquor plant in Mansurwal village since July last year. These reports, the government believed, would help them justify the CM's declaration and shut the factory down for being polluting. Earlier, Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua had held various meetings of the departments of science and technology, as well excise and taxation, law and justice, besides the Punjab Pollution Control Board, to find a legitimate way to issue orders to shut down the industry. The agitators protesting against the factory have refused to budge from the spot unless the government handed them written orders for the factory's closure. The government has tried adopting a tough attitude against protesters camping outside the liquor factory in Zira, after several rounds of talks to placate the agitators had failed. A bunch of clashes had broken out after the police tried to stop the protesters from reaching the dharna site. On December 19 last year, the police had arrested a total of 46 protesting villagers under various charges. Later they were released. CM Mann, in a recent press conference, had told the media that “he had ordered shutting down of the factory for the pollution it was causing and not under pressure from agitators.” The Punjab Pollution Control Board has so far told the Punjab chief secretary that it could only order sealing of a unit after it had been proved that it was causing pollution. Sources said that the board had been issuing sealing orders by giving a notice and asking the factory owner to comply with norms. A factory, however, could not be sealed for an indefinite period. Government officials said that the factory was lying closed for last seven months due to protests anyway. The matter is set to be next heard at the National Green Tribunal on February 23 and the Punjab and Haryana High Court on February 28.
