Toxic 'red mud pond' threatens Indian villages

RNW, 3 June 2011, by Johan van Slooten

(Photo by Amnesty International)

Thousands of people in India’s northern state of Orissa are facing serious health risks as a reservoir at the state’s biggest aluminum refinery is reported to be leaking. Amnesty International and local human rights organisations warn that the reservoir at Vedanta Aluminum could overflow during the upcoming monsoon season.

In a report published this week, Amnesty says that the “red mud pond”, filled with over 90 billion litres of toxic residue from the refinery, is a serious safety risk. During heavy rainfall recently, the liquid was seen to be flowing onto nearby roads.

Threat

Amnesty says the liquid is highly toxic and is threatening nearby villages, where thousands of people live and work. The threat will only worsen during the upcoming monsoon season, the organisation warns.

“We ask Vedanta and the local government to take action,” says Amnesty’s South Asia researcher, Ramesh Gopalakrishnan. “The situation is a ticking time bomb. The red mud pond poses a serious threat to the health, livelihoods and safety of the local people.”

Water source

“The red mud pond is situated only a kilometer from the river Vamsadhara, the region’s main water source. It isn’t hard to imagine what can happen if the barriers surrounding the pond break and the toxic waste flows into the river,” Mr Gopalakrishnan says.

According to Amnesty, Vedanta is currently planning to build a second reservoir which measures 60 hectares, more than twice the size of the existing reservoir.

Repairs

Vedanta Aluminium, a subsidiary of the UK-based Vedanta mining and minerals company, denies that there have been spills, but admits that it has repaired several damaged areas. Amnesty says there are no reports of Vedanta cleaning up the damage that has occurred following the spill.

Watch a video produced by Amnesty International below (or click here). Story continues below video.

Hungary

The red mud pond is similar to the one in Hungary which leaked into the Danube river last year, causing several deaths, serious injuries and widespread environmental damage.

Concerns

Local opposition groups have raised their concerns over the risks posed by the 28-hectare red pond several times before, saying that it is a threat to their health and their livelihood as farmers.

Last year, regional authorities blocked a planned expansion of the refinery as it violated the country’s environmental laws. Vedanta’s plans are currently pending before the Orissa High Court.