City of Gloom
The Delhi High Court has issued notices to several government organisations after hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL has sought to protect people in Delhi from serious health hazards due to the 6,000 tonnes of fly-ash generated every day by the three power stations. The PIL says fly-ash may cause respiratory disorders and aggravate ailments including asthma, bronchitis and lung cancer, as these particles contain metals like iron, zinc and uranium. Groundwater tested at the ash pond site and other nearby areas recorded fluoride content of over 1.85 parts per million (ppm) against the permissible limit of 0.6 to 1.2 ppm.