infrastructural development and environmental status...

63

Chapter 5

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND

ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS OF HALDWANI URBAN AREA

In order to understand the urbanization and environment interface, the

urbanization of Haldwani is studied keeping in mind the following indicators:

1. Population 2. Urban land use 3. Transportation 4. Water supply 5. Sanitation

and drainage 6. Industrial growth 7. Occupational structure. But to study the

environmental status of the city with regard to the infrastructural developmental,

emphasis is specially put on the physical indicators of urbanization viz. –(1)

Urban land use (2) Transportation (3)Water supply(4) Sanitation and drainage (6)

Industrial growth.

The parameters of environmental dimensions taken into account are:

1. Pollution (air, water, land and noise) 2. Green cover depletion 3. Problem of

sewage and solid waste disposal

1. Population

(i) Population growth

Being the largest city and an important commercial centre of Kumaun,

the population and population growth is higher than the population of other cities

of Kumaun region. People have migrated here not just from the hilly regions of

Kumaun but also from Nepal and states like U.P., Bihar and Bengal in order to

earn a living.

The total population of Haldwani- Kathgodam regulated area which

consists of urban as well as rural areas is 203608. However, the total population

of Haldwani urban area is 129015 (census 2001).

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The total population and population increase is depicted in the following

table:

Table 5.02

Population trends of Haldwani from 1901 to 2001

Census year Population Decennial Growth Decennial Growth Rate (%)

1901 7498 - -

1911 7605 107 1.43

1921 8536 931 12.11

1931 11288 2752 32.24

1941 17967 5588 59.24

1951 23665 7089 39.43

1961 38022 12967 51.73

1971 52205 14178 37.27

1981 77300 25095 48.07

1991 104195 26895 37.79

2001 129015 23408 22.48

Source: Census Book, N.I.C. Nainital

It is clear from the table that increase in population was highest in the

decade 1931-41. The reason for this is the development of commercial activities

during that period. There is a steady increase in the population of the city. In

1901 the population was only 7498, which increased to 129015 in 2001 (more

than 17 times). The main reason for the increase in population is the growth and

development of trade and commerce and setting up of small industrial units.

After the inception of the State of Uttarakhand on November 9, 2000,

there has been a rapid development and at present the estimated population of the

city is 185564. The establishment of medical college in Haldwani and SIDCUL

(State Infrastructure Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand) in 2002

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in Udham Singh nagar has also opened new vistas of human settlement in

Haldwani.

(ii) Density of population

The total area under Haldwani urban area is 1062 hectare. The density of

population of Haldwani was 36 persons per hectare in 1961 which went up to 46

persons per hectare in 1971 and this increased to 73 persons per hectare in 1981.

In 1991 the density of population was 98 persons per hectare which went up to

120 persons per hectare in 2001.

(iii) Family size

The size of family in the urban area is 5.7 persons (Census 2001) which

was 5.6 in 1991. The family size of each of the wards is different with some

wards like Damudhunga, Malli Bamori and Bhotia Parao having family size as

small of 4.7 persons and others like Banbhoolpura having family size of 7.1

persons.

(iv) Sex ratio

According to census 1971 the sex ratio was merely 770 with 56.40

percent males and 43.5 percent females. In 1981, there were 53.56 percent males

and 46.44 percent females. Therefore, there were 823 females per 1000 males. In

1991 there were 54.27 percent males and 45.73 percent females. Hence, the sex

ratio was 842 in 1991.In 2001 the sex ratio went up to 876.

(v) Literacy

In the year 1991, the literacy rate of Haldwani urban area was 57%. In

2001 the literacy rate went up to 68.17% with male literacy rate as 71.83% and

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female literacy rate as 63.99%. Out of the total population, there are 87949

literates out of which 49385 are males and 38563 are females.

The distribution of population throughout the city is highly uneven.

Some of the areas are densely populated while some areas are not. Out of the

total 25 wards, some have high density of population like Indranagar east and

Banbhoolpura and some wards have low density of population like Bhawaniganj

and Bazar area.

2. Urban Land Use

The Government of India set up a committee for urban land policy in 1965

and stated that the objectives of urban land policy should be to:

1. Achieve an optimum social use of urban land

2. Make land available in adequate quantity at right time and at reasonable price

to both public authorities as well as to the individual.

3. Encourage co-operative, community effort and bonafide individual builders in

the field of land development, housing and construction.

4. Prevent concentration of land ownership in few private hands and safeguard

especially the interests of poor and underprivileged section of urban society.

However, no serious efforts were made to achieve the above objectives. The

centrally sponsored scheme of Integrated Development of Small and Medium

Towns (IDSMT) was initiated in the Sixth Plan (1979-80). The towns under

consideration were with population slabs-

1. 20000-50000

2. 50000 -100000

3. 100000-300000

4. 300000-500000

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The components for assistance under IDSMT were to include works as per

City/Town Development/Master Plans which may have city/ town wide

significances. An illustrative list is as under:

1. Strengthening of Master Plan road facilities including ring, arterial, bypass/link

roads and small bridges

2. Site and services

3. Development of bus/truck terminals

4. Construction/up gradation of Master Plan drains including storm water

channels

5. Solid Waste Management

6. Development of market complexes/shopping centres

7. Provision of tourist facilities

8. Development of city/town parks

9. Street lighting for Master Plan roads

10. Slaughter houses

11. Major public amenities like gardens, playgrounds, marriage halls, pay and use

toilets, etc.

12.Cycle/rickshaw stands

13. Traffic improvement and management schemes

14. Construction of retaining walls and slope stability measures in hill station

towns

15. Social amenities, especially for the poor sections

This was a futuristic framework for urban development by the government

of India.

Considering the studies and trends regarding the development and growth

of other cities and the population growth of Haldwani cum Kathgodam municipal

area till 2025, which is assumed to be 4.31 lakh, a master plan was formulated

and announced on 10th November 2003.

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Commencement of the masterplan was not welcomed by the rural community

because the guidelines given in the master plan were not in the interest of the

rural population including the farmers. The guidelines include the following –

(i) The land use as mentioned in the master plan should be followed by the

farmers.

(ii) The residents will have to play several taxes such as house tax, sewage tax,

sanitation tax, etc.

(iii) If the farmers utilize or sell their land for residential complex they have to

follow norms regarding roads, drainage, open spaces etc. as mentioned in the

master plan.

(iv) If they utilize or sell land for market or marketing complex they will have to

register their agricultural land for commercial status under the land

registration act 143.

The master plan has been prepared in such a way that it can fulfill all the

needs and demands of the projected population. Thus, the masterplan for

Haldwani urban area is basically a programme for land use and its lawful

regularization in order to create a balance for the optional need of the future

population and its social, cultural and economic development in the recent urban

scenario

Due to the oversaturation of the main urban area the development is mainly

directed towards the adjoining areas which are beyond the municipal limits.

These areas comprising of 32 villages and further 24 villages together with the

main municipal area constitute Haldwani-Kathgodam regulated area. Though

these areas come under the rural ambit but they are an expression of the physical

development of the city and have an urban form. There are sporadically some

open spaces present within the municipal area which are used as graveyard,

grounds, etc in an unplanned way. Besides this, there are some open spaces

which have developed as stadium, parks, ‘Ramleela maidan’ etc in a planned

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manner. The open spaces beyond the ambit of municipality are mainly for

agricultural purpose.

In the due course of development various changes have occurred and have

given shape to present form of the city

(1) The central part of the city includes civil hospital, female hospital, market

area, ‘sabji mandi’ etc. It is developed on both sides of Nainital-Bareilly road.

This dense area is the main part of the city and the main commercial centre.

This part of the city was predominantly a residential area but gradually it took

a commercial shape. Due to its central location, easy access and high prices of

land, this part of the city mainly has multistoried commercial complexes

instead of residential houses. As a consequence, lot of anomalies is observed

in the planning of the city which are as under:

(i) Due to the development of uncontrolled and unplanned commercial activities

the main urban area has high population density. At the same time, the

population pressure on the limited urban infrastructure has badly affected

services like water, electricity, sanitation, sewerage system, etc.

(ii) Uncontrolled commercial activities have given rise to serious traffic problem.

Due to this, vehicular transportation has become more and more impeditive

day by day. The situation has got worsened in the absence of proper off street

parking in the limited road infrastructure.

(iii) As a result of exponential growth of commercial activities the area that is

beyond the main area is also engulfed and this has marginalized the residential

use of land.

(2) Most developed area of the urban expanse is situated near the above

mentioned dense area and within the regulated area, in which commercial

buildings are pre-dominantly present along the main road. Planned open areas

and community utility offices are also situated in this area along the main

road. Residential areas are also present in the main urban area. As a result of

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this sort of development i.e. the location of commercial expansions and

community services along the main road only, the residential areas located

away from the main road face a lack of the basic services.

(3) Such residential areas also lack proper road facilities. The roads are found to

be 4.5mt to 6 mt. whereas roads with a width of 9 mt. are permissible.

(4) The linear sort of development along the road has curbed any future

possibility to widen the road and any proposal to construct new roads.

Evidently, the past decade has witnessed relatively much faster rate of urban

settlements especially after the commencement of the state of Uttaranchal (now

Uttarakhand) As a result; the adjoining villages along Rampur road, Kaladhungi

road, Lamachaur area, Halduchaur area, etc. have been occupied in random

unplanned manner and have culminated into residential extension of the city.

This very form of non contextual, unbalanced and random development with

respect to infrastructure has become a problem for the city. The whole present

existential situation reflects an unhealthy and distorted picture of future city.

Development of Haldwani has taken place in the form of mixed land use

pattern in an unusual way. At present the total area under Haldwani Municipal

Corporation is 1062 hectares and this is divided into two parts: (i) the constructed

area and (ii) the open area. Residential and commercial areas, offices, industry

and community services and facilities fall under the constructed part whereas

agricultural land, garden, barren land, canals comprising 708.32 hectares of the

total area fall under open area. Further, this area can be taken for future planning.

The table shows the pattern of land use and area under Haldwani-Kathgodam

regulated area.

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Table 5.02

Land use Pattern of Haldwani-Kathgodam regulated area

S.No. Land use Area (Hectares) Percentage (%)

(A) Developed Area

1. Residential 768.32 12.0

Built Residential 675.11 10.6

Rural population 98.21 1.4

2. Commercial 29.90 0.4

Retail 2.0 -

Petrol Pump 4.0 0.1

Cinema Hall 3.00 0.05

Whole sale market 18.09 0.3

Store Houses 2.81 -

3. Offices 30.93 0.5

4. Industries 18.76 0.3

5. Community Services 94.14 1.05

Educational 43.37 0.7

Technological 19.92 0.3

Research Centre 22.91 0.4

Hospital/Health centres 7.94 0.1

6. Utilities and Services 54.21 0.9

Parks and play grounds 5.76 0.1

Rest houses 1.35 -

Religious places 0.75 -

Police station 0.82 -

Jail 3.33 0.1

Fire station 0.12 -

Electricity/power house 4.00 0.1

Graveyard/ cemetery 29.22 0.5

7. Transportation 86.10 1.4

Bus station 1.30 0.1

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Roads 31.12 0.5

Railway land 53.68 0.8

(B) Underdeveloped Area 5292.04 83.0

Grounds/open area/ 4992.04 78.3

Nala/Canals/Rivers 300.00 4.7

6374.00 100.00

The table clearly suggests that 675.11 hectare land is utilized for residential

purpose from the Haldwani -Kathgodam municipal area which is 10.6% of the

total area.

Haldwani has been a commercial city since the very beginning providing

goods and services to entire Kumaun region. At present the market area is spread

along the main Nainital- Bareilly road. This is the main area of the city and

includes banks, petrol pumps, cinema halls etc. Its total area is 29.90 hectare

which is 0.4% of the total area.

The main central part of the city deals with commercial activities. Thus,

pattern of the city is mainly responsible for the problem of transportation.

Loading and unloading of goods on main road has created the problem of traffic

jam. Since there is only one parking area in the entire city hence the main road

sides are thronged with vehicles. This kind of land use has become a potential

threat to the environment.

Haldwani is an important ‘tehsil’ headquarter of Nainital district.

Therefore various offices of centre and state are present along with the ‘tehsil’.

This area occupies 30.93 hectares (0.5%) of the total area.

Haldwani is an important city of Kumaun especially for commercial

purposes. Several small scale and handicraft and few large scale industries are

established here. HMT factory at Ranibagh and Ganesh Kattha factory on

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Rampur road are the main industries besides the stone crushing factory on

Bareilly and Rampur road which lie beyond the municipal limits.

At present the total area occupied by industries is 18.76 hectare which is

0.3% of the total built area. Transportation occupies 86.10 hectare of land which

is 1.4% of total area.

According to the master plan there is about 5292.04 hectare land (83 % of

the total area) which is presently utilized for agriculture, horticulture, forests,

canals, etc.

3. Transportation

In a society which is urbanizing rapidly, transport and communication

are usually the sectors that show fastest growth. Within transportation, it is the

use of personally owned transport and not the public transport that has increased

greatly. In Haldwani the problem of unscrupulous, uncontrolled and unorganized

traffic has increased manifolds after the inception of the state of Uttarakhand. In

the city, various modes of transportation like authorikshaws, cyclerikshaws, cars,

two wheelers, bicycles etc. are used which create traffic problems. These vehicles

move at different speeds and the effective management of traffic becomes very

difficult. Lack of parking spaces, linear development of the market place along

the main road, ignoring traffic rules and also the lack of ethics among the

populace are some other causes of traffic problems. It is generally taken for

granted that traffic congestion and environmental pollution are aggravated with

the greater use of personal transport than of public transport.

A trend that is very common in Haldwani is the presence of 2 or more

number of two wheelers in one family. The working population including women

uses 2 wheelers for conveyance and the young generation widely uses vehicles to

colleges, schools and even tuition classes.

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There has been a tremendous growth in the transport sector. The table

below shows the number of annually registered vehicles in Haldwani from the

year 2000 to 2008.

Table 5.03

No. of Annually Registered Vehicles

S. No. Year No. of registered Vehicles % increase

1. March 01-02 6338 -

2. March 02-03 6702 5.74

3. March 03-04 7393 10.31

4. March 04-05 10658 44.16

5. March 05-06 10069 -5.52

6. March 06-07 12817 27.29

7. March 07-08 16895 31.82

Source: Regional Transport Office, Haldwani

The above table clearly suggests that there is a continuous increase in the

number of vehicles registered in the city. The highest percentage increase is in

the period March 04-05.

Out of the total annually registered vehicles, motorcycles account for more

than 50% of the registration every year followed by cars which account for 11%

to 15 % of the total registered vehicles. The table shows the different type of

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Table 5.04

No. of various categories of vehicles registered annually

S. No. Year Motorcycles Cars Scooters Others Total

1 March 01-02 3714 712 912 1000 6338

2 March 02-03 3816 768 900 1218 36702

3 March 03-04 4211 778 962 1442 7393

4 March 04-05 6078 1634 1209 1737 10658

5 March 05-06 6399 1252 592 1826 10069

6 March 06-07 7210 1724 871 3012 12817

7 March 07-08 5578 1651 874 2266 16895

Source: Regional Transport Office, Haldwani

The above table suggests that the proportion of privately owned vehicles

like cars, motorcycles and scooters is the largest and their percentage increase

every year is also higher than the public transport system.

One more significant feature of the transport sector is the large number

of auto rickshaws. Autorickshaws are an important means of conveyance but they

are also the major contributors of traffic problems. The increase in number of

vehicles leads to increased traffic jams, vehicular fumes and unburnt fuel which

ultimately cause air pollution. Thus the increase in number of vehicles indirectly

leads to air pollution.

4. Water Supply

The ‘Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade’ was launched in

1980 to ensure drinking water and sanitation for all. But in practice, according to

the World Resource Institute (1994), urban population with access to safe

drinking water increased only from 77% to 86% over the period.

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With respect to Haldwani the initial arrangement of water supply was

made from Shitlahat gravity water source. But later, the demand of water got

highly increased due to the increase in population and fast development of the

city. As such it became necessary to reorganize the existing water supply system.

Consequently, in subsequent phases various schemes financed by the 10 th finance

commission were executed in different years.

But despite the efforts made by the government there has been a

continuous shortage of water throughout the year and at some places residents are

forced to cover long distances to fetch water. Water supply is one of the major

problems which the residents face. The problem gets aggravated during the

summer months when the discharge from Gaula Canal which is the main source

of water gets considerably reduced.

On an average the water supply in class I cities in India is 147 lpcd

(liters per capita per day) as against 157 lpcd to 270 lpcd which is the prescribed

standard for cities falling in the population size of 100000 and above. In case of

Haldwani the water available is merely 85 lpcd which further goes down to 50

lpcd during the summer season.

Actually the drinking water available for the city is 35mld whereas the

demand of drinking water in the city per day is 27 mld. Despite the surplus water

available for the city the urban as well as the rural water supply is not

satisfactory. The main reason for the insufficient water supply is the low capacity

of the treatment plant.

After the execution of the various schemes the supply of water was

started from Gaula River through Sheeshmahal water treatment plant where

water gets chlorinated and is supplied to the city. But the capacity of the

treatment plant is low(only 9 mld) and the water available from Gaula River is 22

mld. Together with this ten tube wells were also started to meet the ever

increasing demand for water but again the tube wells were connected to the old

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pipelines. Therefore, the water supply in the city still remains faulty and

defective.

During the monsoon season the level of Gaula River increases therefore

the sluce gates of the barrages are opened due to which silt containing water

reaches the filter plant which hampers the filtering of water. This affects the

water supply during the monsoon season. Thus, due to some reason or the other

there is always scarcity of water throughout the year.

The distribution of water in the city is also faulty and inequitable. Some

areas get sufficient water while others face an acute scarcity. The main reasons

for the water scarcity and inequitable distribution of water which is the

characteristic feature of the water supply system of Haldwani are-

(i) Low storage capacity of the treatment plant.

(ii) The pipelines are about 50-60 years old and are severely damaged, they leak

at several places. Since the soil in Haldwani is sandy the leakage cannot be

checked. This accounts for 15% of water cost. Sometimes the sewage water

enters these pipes through the leakages.

(iii) Faulty distribution system is another reason for the unequal and scarce water

supply. There are total 17565 water connections out which 7% are not in use

but water is still supplied there.

(iv) Apathy of the local government to look after the problem of the residents.

5. Sanitation and Drainage

Drainage and sanitation of a place directly influences the health of the

residents. Poor drainage and improper sanitation are the causes of different

diseases. In Haldwani only 40% of the population has the facility of sewer line.

Rest of the city residents depend on septic tanks and soak pits. In the congested

areas of the city where there is no space for the construction of soak pits and

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septic tanks, people have to depend on conservancy system. The soil in the area

has high porosity and is favourable for the leaching of soak pit and septic

effluents to considerable distance so there is every possibility that these effluents

are carried away through the main water pipes which have leakages. When the

effluents are carried away by the main water pipes they act as a carrier of many

fold infestations like gastro intestinal typhoid, para typhoid, diarrhoea, etc. which

are very common in the area under consideration.

The main sewer line which was laid in the city long Bareilly road some

30 years back is running under overloading condition and gets boiled up at few

places thereby creating extremely unhygienic conditions. This main sewer line at

Bareilly Nainital road is not sufficient to handle the present load. As the existing

main sewer line of the city is almost running with its full capacity, the addition of

sewerage load either through new connection or reorganization of water supply at

subsequent main sewer laying parallel sewer or to use as a branch sewer by

relieving its excess load into new main sewer is required essentially.

The duplication of main sewer whole at Nainital highway is not possible

due to these reasons:-

(i) A network of various types of conduits i.e. sewer mains various water mains,

electric and telephone cables run along this road at varying depths. The laying

of new parallel sewer will be difficult task and shall involve considerable

expenditure.

(ii) Being Nainital highway the only road to handle to and fro traffic of hilly

region, it experiences voluminous traffic pressure round the clock. As there is

no nearby bye-pass road, therefore minimizing traffic congestion is not

possible.

As explained above the main sewer has now become insufficient to

accommodate even the present overburden and it is not possible to duplicate the

main sewer therefore it has become necessary to release and divert the additional

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load of existing main sewer into new main sewer which onward will run as

branch sewer.

Drainage facility also holds an important place in basic services. But

unfortunately the situation is far from satisfactory in this regard too. Inadequate,

improper and unmaintained drainage is the main feature of the drainage system

of Haldwani.

There is a network of drains in the city but they are not cleaned regularly

and are encroached upon at several places. Open drains can be seen flowing close

to the houses. The drains remain chocked for most of the year and serve as

dustbins for the people and breeding ground for several disease causing

organisms. Improper drainage is a problem that primarily affects the poor

communities living in marginal lands. The most adverse health effect fall on the

poor with unsafe sanitation and poorly drained wastewater, creating conditions

for various disease causing organisms.

At some places the drainage is so inadequate that even a slight shower

results in flooding of low-lying areas of the city. This causes the garbage and

drain water to come on the main road which again causes inconvenience to the

people. In some wards like Banbhulpura, Rajpura, Kidwainagar and Indranagar,

chocking of sewer lines is a common feature. The lines get choked and the

sewage flows out into the open. The residents have to face discomfort and

inconvenience. Complains of the residents are generally over looked by the

municipal authority and such issues do not get any attention. Individual efforts to

keep the city clean, encroachment free and green often dies away due to the

indifference of the local authorities and the residents who have become

accustomed to such kind of problems.

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6. Industrial Growth

Urbanization and industrialization are closely related terms and have often

been considered as two facets of the same coin but while industrialization is

followed by urbanization, the vice verse is not always true. Urbanization is the

outcome of several factors and urban areas come into existence and develop due

to various reasons other than industrialization.

In case of Haldwani the growth of industries is not high enough to bring

about the deterioration of environment. The industries that are set up are mainly

small scale industries like paint industry, printing press, tin industry etc. Such

small-scale industries do not cause pollution of any serious kind. Though the

number of industries registered per year at DIC (District Industry Centre) is fairly

high but all of them are small scale industries which do not affect the quality of

the environment very much. The industries take a no objection certificate from

the pollution control board of Haldwani if they comply with the norms of the

PCB (Pollution Control Board). Hence, the industries set up every year are

environmentally safe. The number of industries registered per year in Haldwani

at DIC after the inception of the state of Uttarakhand is mentioned in table 5.05.

Table 5.05

No. of Industries Registered Annually

S.No. Year Number of Industries

1. November 2000-March 01 8

2. April 01- March 02 38






Source:DIC, Haldwani

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The table clearly shows that the number of industries registered per year is

considerably high but all of them are small scale industries which are in

compliance to the norms of the PCB.

7. Occupational Structure

Majority of the population of Haldwani urban area comprises of

businessmen and intellectuals. The central old area of the city is thickly

populated and generally comprises of service class, businessmen and other work

force with a fine blend of various religions, status, areas and beliefs living in

great harmony

Out of the total population, the number of total workers is 36014 which

are 28% of the total population. The population of the non-workers is 93001. Out

of all the workers main workers constitute 93.6% i.e. 33713 people and marginal

workers form 7.4% i.e. 2301 workers. Out of the main workers, 61 are cultivators

72 are agricultural labourers, 414 are engaged in household industries and 33166

form the other workers category. In the marginal category, 8 are cultivators, 27

are agricultural labourers, 59 workers are engaged in household industries and

remaining 2207 form the others category. Thus the total number of cultivators is

69, total number of agricultural labourers is 99, total number of workers engaged

in household industries is 473 and total number of workers belonging to others

category is 35373. In this way the total number of workers in agricultural sector

is only 0.47% of the total workers. Occupational structure of Haldwani according

to Census 2001 is as follows :

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Table 5.06

Occupational structure of Haldwani

S.No. Occupation Main Marginal Total

1. Cultivators 61 8 69

2. Agricultural labourers 72 27 99

3. Workers in household Industries 414 59 473

4. Other workers 33166 2207 35373

Total workers 33713 2301 36014

Source: Census of India 2001

1. Environmental Pollution

(i) Air Pollution

In the city the main reason for air pollution is the traffic exhaust. Due to

increase in traffic over the years the level of air pollution has crossed the

permissible limit. Increase in population, increase in consumption pattern and

unplanned development of the city have further accelerated the problem.

Vehicular emissions are of particular concern since these are ground level

sources and thus have the maximum impact on the general population. The

industries set up in the area are not responsible for causing any serious kind of

pollution.

The population of Haldwani urban area has increased by about more than

17 times i.e. from 7498 to 129015 from 1901-2001. The growth in population has

led to higher demand for transport. The number of privately owned vehicles

registered between 2002 to 2008 shows and increase from 6338 to 16895. This

sharp increase in the number of vehicles has led, not only to traffic problem but

also to the problem of air pollution and fuel consumption. Drastic increase in the

number of vehicles has increased the emission of various pollutants like oxides of

carbon, sulphur, nitrogen, suspended particulate matter, etc. There has been a

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sharp increase in the number of privately owned vehicles like motorcycles, cars

and gearless scooters.

To keep an eye on the increasing level of air pollution, the Uttarakhand

Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB) started

monitoring the level of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the air. SPM is one

of the most critical air pollutant in most of the urban areas in India and

permissible standards are frequently violated at several monitored location.

Suspended particulate matter is the amount of particles present in the given

volume of air

In Haldwani the level of SPM is measured at two different places with the

help of a device called High Volume Sampler (HVS). One of the machines is

installed at ‘Kaladhungi Chauraha’ which is a commercial area and the other at

‘Awas Vikas’ which is a residential area. The level of SPM is checked from time

to time but this is not done on a regular basis despite the SPM level exceeding the

safe limit. The SPM level is checked only during the summer season, after Diwali

and one or two times according to the will of the UEPPCB. The tables below

give a detail of SPM measured from 2003 to 2008:

Table 5.07

Level of SPM measured from January 2003 to October 2003

Month Level of SPM(in micrograms)

Kaladhungi Chauraha Awas Vikas

Jan 03 183.72 205.6

Feb 03 231.05 264.17

Mar 03 240.93 258.5

Apr 03 195.21 180.4

June 03 279 294.8

Oct 03 287 316

Nov 03 351.6 385.5

Source : UEPPCB, Haldwani

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Table 5.08Level of SPM from March 2004 to October 2004

Month Level of SPM(in micrograms)


March 04 215.8 227.4

April 04 N.A 208.75

May 04 266.15 242.81

June 04 437.03 321.16

July 04 173.1 219.2

Aug 04 196.32 203.48

Sep 04 218.25 259.6Oct 04 230.3 252


Table 5.09

Level of SPM measured from April 2005 to December 2005

Month Level of SPM (in micrograms)


April 05 264.83 287.63

May- 05 287.1 387.84

June- 05 537.43 350.15

July-05 136.03 N.A.

Aug-05 163.14 204.25

Sep.-05 94.80 121.43

Oct.-05 119.81 129.48

Source : UEPPCB, HaldwaniEstelar

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Table 5.10

Level of SPM from January 2006 to March 2006



Jan-06 284.85 261.55

Feb-06 220.17 221.25

March-06 218.38 220.64

April-06 239 256.03

June-06 311.94 N.A

Oct-06 241.5 272.1

Nov-06 348 365.24


Table 5.11

Level of SPM during the year 2007 at different time intervals



Jan-07 260 184

Feb-07 137 152

March-07 207 254

April-07 212.1 247.8

June-07 146 189

Oct-07 193.9 255.8

Nov-07 276.4 263.3


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Table 5.12

Level of SPM during the year 2008 at different time intervals



Jan-08 278.1 217.45

Feb-08 205 192.03

March-08 286.4 263.51

May-08 319.15 326

July-08 294.33 288.6

Oct-08 354.1 324.2

Nov-08 261.72 257


The table clearly suggests that during several months the level of SPM has

crossed the permissible limits. During the summer months and after ‘diwali’ the

levels are considerably high both in the commercial as well as residential areas.

Though the level of pollution is not measured on a regular basis, this is done

intermittently. The available data reveals that the safe limit of SPM is crossed in

most of the cases.

Despite the increase in air pollution, the UEPPCB is not much concerned

about checking the level of SPM regularly. The other pollutants like carbon

monoxides, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, oxidants and ozone, aldehydes, etc.

are not even monitored due to the absence of any provision for checking the level

of pollutants.

Although the main source of air pollution in Haldwani is the vehicular

emission but there are other sources also like waste burning. The vehicles have

increased continuously in the last few years but the level of SPM is not

increasing continuously but shows fluctuation. The noticeable feature is the high

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level of SPM during the summer months and after ‘diwali’. The UEPPCB does

not check the pollution levels regularly and it is measured only 2-3 times a year

or when it receives orders from the District Magistrate or if there is some

complain regarding air quality. Another source of air pollution is the burning of

domestic refuse which is a commonly observed phenomenon in the city. In the

absence of proper method of garbage disposal many families burn the household

waste. In addition to this it was also observed that during the wedding season, the

banquet halls also use the burning method to dispose off the waste.

(ii) Water Pollution

Water pollution is the introduction into water of chemical, physical or

biological material that degrades the quality of water. The process ranges from

simple addition of dissolved or suspended solids to discharge of the most toxic

pollutants like pesticides, heavy metals and no degradable chemical compounds.

With special reference to Haldwani, safe and potable water is not available to the

residents. Even after passing the filter plant, water is not upto the standard

parameter i.e. in terms of biological oxidation demand (BOD) and chemical

oxidation demand (COD). Since there are no such industries and their respective

industrial waste near the water source, hence no precautionary measures are

required for affluent treatment and for measuring COD. But biological

contamination is quite high due to the presence of crematorium near the water

source. Many of the residents find this practice inappropriate. The water even

after passing from the filter plant of the city (after being chlorinated) is still

contaminated and needs to be purified before consuming. The poor and ignorant

section of the society is unaware of safe drinking practices and cannot afford the

expensive water purifiers. As such this section becomes vulnerable to several

water borne diseases like diarrhea, jaundice, hepatitis, etc. Potability of water is

not checked by any agency at the moment. Although the UEPPCB is responsible

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for this, but like monitoring of air and noise pollution water quality is also

checked only when there are prolonged complains from the masses or when they

get any order from the higher officials.

Initially, a network of irrigational canals was laid down for the purpose of

irrigating the agricultural land. But as the agricultural land got converted into

residential and commercial areas, the canals became a medium for carrying the

garbage, refuse and sewage of the city. With the expansion of the city beyond its

limits, new colonies and residential houses developed around the canals. Since

these colonies were unauthorized, therefore there was no provision for garbage

and sewage disposal. As a result the canals became a very convenient medium

for dumping garbage and sewage.

The practice is so common in the cities that it is often taken for granted. In

addition the washermen use the canals for washing and the canal water is also

used by the poor for bathing and washing purposes. The sewage system of the

city is also planned in such a way that ultimately the sewage finds its way into

the canals. The sewer lines open into the canals in the south east of the city. The

contaminated canal water containing all these impurities is used for irrigation

purposes in the nearby villages. At certain places the sewage of the houses

directly opens into the canals.

(iii) Land Pollution

Owning to various human activities the land surface of the earth gets

degraded. Indiscriminate disposal of urban waste, improper use of soil by

inadequate agricultural practices, excessive deforestation etc. are some of the

contributing factors of land pollution. Land pollution includes soil pollution and

waste disposal. Soil pollution occurs due to the use of chemical fertilizers and

pesticides.

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With respect to Haldwani, pollution of the land is due to the disposal of

waste. The population of the city is increasing continuously and therefore the

amount of waste generated in the city has also increased. There are several open

spaces in the residential areas that have been converted into dumping grounds for

garbage. The urban society, which is a symbol of civilization, does not care to

dispose off its wastes in a proper way. The main reason for this is the inefficiency

of the municipality in providing basic services. There is no provision for door-to-

door collection of garbage.

Actually garbage disposal has a proper mechanism. The garbage should

be collected from the houses in two different bags, one containing biodegradable

wastes like vegetables, garden waste, etc. and the other containing non

biodegradable waste like plastic, metal etc. The garbage collected from the

houses by the sanitary workers should be taken to the community bins with

separate chambers for biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. From there it

should be taken for recycling and compositing. Although the municipal

corporation has provided the facility of garbage bins but the people are not aware

of the concept of bio degradable and non-biodegradable waste. The consequence

is that they mix the garbage and since there is no availability of sanitary workers

hence the people themselves dispose off the garbage. The people dump the

household garbage wherever they find most convenient like the nearby canals, or

open spaces or vacant community bins. The garbage was also seen scattered

outside the community bins. Since there is no provision for solid waste

management at the municipal level hence the waste collected by the municipality

is dumped in the basin of the Gaula River. As such major portion of the river is

converted into a dumping site.

In the same way biomedical waste was also seen lying around the hospitals

at certain places. The biomedical waste including needles, bandages and infected

body fluids is highly infectious. This not only pollutes the land but also poses a

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potential danger for the rag pickers who are at high risk of infection from this

kind of contaminated waste.

(iv) Noise Pollution

Although there is no single universally accepted criterion of what

constitutes noise pollution or excessive noise, it is unquestioned that excessive

noise has adverse effects on human health. Noise has been defined as an

excessive, offensive, persistent or stoulting sound (Grewal 1995).

The main sources of noise in Haldwani are vehicles, bands and loud

speakers. Due to the increase in the number of vehicles in the past 7-8 years, the

level of noise has increased considerably. Even in the sensitive areas which

include schools and hospitals, noise levels have exceeded the permissible limits.

Although the noise levels are not measured on a regular basis but whenever

recorded the noise level is found to cross the standard limit. The device used for

measuring noise is called noise meter. Noise levels are checked only during

particular days like ‘diwali’, wedding season, etc. According to Ambient Air

Quality Standard, noise levels in the residential areas should be 55 dB(A) for day

time and 45dB(A) for night while in commercial areas it is 65 dB(A) for day and

55dB(A) for night. For silence zone it is 50dB(A) for day time and 40dB(A) for

night.

The following tables gives a detail of sound levels at various places during

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Table 5.13

Noise levels at various locations during day time

Locations

8.11.2007 9.11.2007 10.11.2007

Min. Max. Avg. Min. Max. Avg. Min. Max. Avg.

Awas Vikas

(Residential) 60.6 82.5 68.1 71.5 96.4 81.1 66.4 91.9 76.5

Kalawati Colony

(Residential) 64.3 90.4 71.8 68.4 97.7 81.4 63.2 98.1 73.9

Chowk Bazar

(Commercial) 70.4 94.9 81.1 75.1 98.6 87.2 68.7 95.3 78.7

Bus Station

(Commercial) 68.6 90.5 80.2 69.4 98.6 87.2 68.7 95.3 78.7

Nirmala Convent

(Silence Zone) 52.9 76.6 63.9 67.1 96.6 81.4 64.3 88.5 75.1

Base Hospital

(Silence Zone) 62.8 93.3 74.7 73.6 97.0 82.3 60.6 96.8 75.2

Source: UEPPCB,Haldwani

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Table 5.14

Noise levels at various locations during night time

Location 8.11.2007 9.11.2007 10.11.2007

Min. Max. Avg. Min Max. Avg. Min. Max. Avg.

Awas Vikas

(Residential)55.7 79.2 68.7 65.9 94.8 79.8 58.9 93.3 72.4

Kalawati Colony

(Residential)55.5 85.8 70.2 71.7 91.3 79.7 57.8 92.6 65.3

Chowk Bazar

(Commercial)67.2 87.4 76.4 66.9 99 79.8 60.5 96.7 65.3

Bus Station

(Commercial)57.8 90.7 75.3 68.1 86.3 74.4 62.6 90.4 70.1

Nirmala Convent

(Silence Zone)53.2 80.8 66.6 66.4 92.9 74.5 59.6 85.1 74.3

Base Hospital

(Silence Zone) 53.3 82.1 68.0 63.9 92.4 73.5 56.2 86.2 70.1

Source: UEPPCB,Haldwani

The table clearly shows that the level of noise has crossed the prescribed

limit at different times. Even in the silence zone like school and hospital, the

sound level exceeds the permissible limits. The hospitals are located at the main

areas which creates trouble for the sick patients. The other sources of noise are

the loudspeakers, the bands and the DJs. From time to time announcement is

made using the loudspeakers in the whole city. During the wedding season there

is a disturbing noise from the bands used in the ‘barats’ and the DJs.

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The noise levels are rarely monitored in Haldwani. The only available data

is of the year 2004 and 2007. After that no proper data is collected regarding the

sound levels.

2. Green Cover Depletion

Change in land use pattern in the preview of urbanization is not merely a

process of data representation, but is an accumulated account of chronological

depiction of socio historical, socio-economic and socio-cultural change. This

change has been reflected in the form of development before us. The saga of this

development has several facets and folds to denote consequences and conflicts

among nature, society and technology. Hence land use change and urbanization

have a reciprocal relationship. This reciprocal relationship further signifies

depletion in green cover. In the preview of urbanization land use change can be

seen under two categories:

(i) Depletion of green cover

(ii) Changing agrarian society

(i) Depletion in green cover

Initially, Haldwani was a small town with its gardens and ‘baghs’ as

veteran journalist Sri Om Prakash Arya has said about the history of Haldwani.

Haldwani was a town with lots of gardens, a city where there was no trace of heat

strokes and where there was no sign of cold wave. There was a series of gardens

starting from Ranibagh in the north and spreading upto Halduchaur in the south.

But at present there is not a single trace of any garden. The list below gives an

account of the gardens, ‘baghs’ and the areas that existed in the past but got

engulfed due to construction work like roads, schools, colonies, shopping

complexes, etc.

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Gardens /Baghs Location P r e s e n t Status

1. E.T. Fonsica Garden K a thgodam Buildings

2. Vidya Ratan garden Sheeshmahal Restaurant, furniture house

3. B alutia’s bagh a nd Tedi Pulia Market cum residential complex

Chaudhry’s bagh

4. Velezli Garden Judgee Sessions judges building

5. B hatt’s Bagh Tedhi Pulia Residential colony

6. Awagarh Kothi Bagh Nainital Road Gurugovind colony

7. G.B. Pant Bagh N a inital Road Khalsa and Guru Teg

Bahadur school

8. M .L. Sahis Bagh Nainital Road Durga city centre

9. Master Ganga Sing’s Bagh Tikonia Market and residential complex

10. Dr.Ram Lal Sahi’s Bagh Tikonia Nursing home, school

11. Upreti’s Bagh Jagdambanagar Residential colony

12. Bholanath Garden Kaladhungi Road M arket and residential complex

13. Haridatt’s Bagh Kaladhungi Road R e sidential colony

14. Mirpa’s Bagh Kaladhungi Road M arket

15. Hanif’s Bagh Heeranagar Residential colony

16. Safdar’s Bagh Heeranagar Forest compound

17. Ram Prasads Bagh North to R e s idential colony

Mukhani Chauraha

18. Judge Farm South to R e s i d e n tial colony

Mukhani Chauraha

19. Resham Bagh North to R esidential colony

Mukhani Chauraha

20. Anand Bagh Near Police StationR e sidential colony

21. Mision Compound Bagh Near Police Station Residential colony

22. Devidatt Chimwal’s Bagh Near Police Station Khanchand market

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23. Company Bagh Tanakpur Road P rem cinema hall,

Guru Nanak market

24. Kabul Bagh Tanakpur Road Residential colony

25. Rahmat Bagh Tanakpur Road R esidential colony

26. Kulyalpur Bagh Nawabi Road R e s i dential colony

27. Kholia Compound Nawabi Road R e s idential colony

28. Kailash Bagh Rampur Road A grawal Sabha

29. Mungali Garden Rampur Road S argam cinema and

Residential colony

30. Mulchand Bagh Rampur Road R esidential colony

31. Ratan Lal, Kishan Lal Bagh R ampur Road Residential colony

32. Abdul Rahim’s Bagh Bazar Area Mahavirganj

33. Khan’s Bagh Bazar Area S a r a s m arket

34. Numaish Bagh Bazar Area S t a d i u m

35. Himalaya Farm Bazar Area B a d r i p ura

36. Shiv Lal Mishra Farm Bareilly Road Residential colony

37. Badridatt Sharma Bareilly Road K attha factory

38. Sarkari Farm Bareilly Road D harampura colony

39. Ramchandra Mandir B areilly Road Medical college

40. Abdulla Bagh Bareilly Road Residential colony

41. Babulal’s Bagh Bareilly Road R esidential colony

42. Holi Lal’sBagh Bareilly Road R esidential colony

43. Devi Rameshwar Bagh Bareilly Road Residential colony

44. Dan Sing Maldar’s Bagh Bareilly Road Residential colony

To receive the lost green glory of Haldwani, Sardar Jagat Singh led a

movement called ‘green city movement’ with the help of social workers, various

local organizations and local administration. But it failed to achieve considerable

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results. The ‘Haldu’ trees (after which Haldwani got its name) were once present

here in abundance but now they are out of sight. The main road of Haldwani, the

Nainital road was lined by massive trees on both sides. Some trees were as old as

hundred years and had become a landmark. But in the year 2008-2009, about

hundred trees were cut during the ongoing drive to broaden the roads of

Haldwani and to construct drains and footpaths. As a result the roads give a

barren, dry and dusty look.

(ii) Change in Agrarian Society

It is well understood that urbanization is a process that involves a shift

from agrarian society to a more complex situation with a considerable increase in

population. In other words, it is a shift from primary mode of production to

secondary and tertiary sector. In this region government had successfully

facilitated settlement process by providing facilities regarding agricultural sector.

The establishment of Post War Reconstruction Board in January 1943 gave

impetus to large scale setting of immigrants, particularly ex-soldiers. The

erstwhile army personnel’s were allotted lands in villages around Bazpur,

Kashipur, Haldwani and Kaladhungi. Political sufferers, freedom fighters and

repatriates from Burma also settled here. Following the partition of India in 1947,

wave after wave of refugees came from Punjab and Bangladesh and settled in

‘tarai’ and ‘bhabhar’ region.

Though the ‘tarai’ region became the precursor of Green Revolution in

India, ‘bhabhar’ region was lagging behind because of its topography and non

availability of ground water for irrigation. With particular reference to Haldwani,

it can be said that the place remained untouched from the bane of Green

Revolution. Yet, whatever potential and possibilities were available and

accessible to the local marginal, sub marginal and medium farmers of Kumauni

origin; they were utilized to some extent.

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It is seen that there was a marked shift in cultivational practices during

1975 to 1985. Till 1975 the rural economy was based on the production of food

grains, but with the establishment of ‘mandi samiti’ there was a shift from the

production of food grains to vegetables. As such there was a shift in economic

dynamics and proportion. As a result small contractors mainly from the Muslim

community got involved in vegetable crop production. Thus marginal farmers

with the benefits of hybrid seeds and new technologies became more prosperous.

This prosperity transformed the traditional agricultural practices into more

mechanical and more diversified agriculture practices.

But lack of irrigational facilities for vegetable production, surplus

production and expansion of market network at pan Indian level increased the

cultivation cost which delivered negative effect on the vegetable producers. At

the same time it was felt that the irrigational water is contaminated with debris,

polythene and feacal matter which are harmful to the crop because of highly

acidic nature and undecomposed organic material. Due to all this, several farmers

ploughed over their ripen fields and there were also incidents of farmers crushing

their crops in the ‘mandi’ because of lower rates than the actual production cost.

At the same time hike in land value allured the cultivators to sell out their land

and shift their occupation to non agricultural mode.

Thus the change in land use emerged as a new urban situation. Agricultural

land which was hitherto used for cultivation was now used for residential and

commercial purposes, for shops and shopping complexes. But the revenue or

stamp duty is collected by revenue department on agricultural land only. Thus,

agricultural land was rapidly changed into residential plots or colonies without

proper drainage proper roads, proper regulation and norms just to escape various

taxes which have to be paid at municipal limit. Therefore no authentic data

regarding land use change is available to address the actual scenario.

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Prior to the formation of Udham Singh Nagar district, urbanization in

Kumaun can be seen under different categories which are-

(i) Natural growth of urban areas and their further expansion

(ii) Migration of population from villages to nearly town in search of better living

and employment situation.

(iii) Concentration of industries in some regions that grow into a town like Lalkuan.

(iv) Due to the growth of population in rural areas and their further development

which ultimately leads to their classification as urban area/nagar panchayat etc

according to the size of the population.

(v) Urbanization may take place due to some typical circumstances like wars,

famines, floods, refugees, political reasons and rehabilitations, etc. At present,

special economic zones (SEZs) for industrial development has become a new

precursor to create a situation for urbanization like Rudrapur, Sitarganj, etc.

Categorically, Haldwani falls under IV category where rural population

grows in a relatively small and marginal farm holding. This marginality of land

holding and relatively less irrigational facilities have given room to change in the

land use pattern.

Hence, post statehood pattern of urbanization has a background that

catalyzed an exponential growth in construction and allied activities.

3. Problem of Solid Waste and Sewage Disposal

Solid wastes are those by products of a society that are discarded as useless

or unwanted. The term is often used as a synonym for urban household waste but

as used here, it is all inclusive and encompasses the heterogeneous mass of

throwaways from the urban community as well as the more homogeneous

accumulation of agricultural, industrial and mining waste. Though solid wastes

are the broader problem of urbanization directly linked to economic growth, the

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difficulties associated with managing solid wastes are perhaps most apparent

because of their localized influence on the environment, especially health, well

being and aesthetics. Not so apparent are the linkages between improper solid

waste management and the pollution of air, water and soil, which makes it

difficult to quantify the environmental costs of solid waste

Litter along the roadsides, heaps of refuse on the streets and the pungent

piles of rotting garbage are unpleasant reminders of untidy human habits. The

characteristics of wastes generated in a particular area depend on a number of

factors such as food habits, traditions, lifestyle, etc. The urban society is often

referred to as the throwaway society. With the process of urbanization, the

consumption level increases and therefore the amount of waste generated also

increases.

The solid waste is mainly of 3 types (i) Municipal waste which consists of

household wastes like fuel residues, containers and packages, glass bits, food

residues and vegetable wastes from the markets and commercial wastes

generated from shops, offices, restaurants, warehouses and hotels (ii) Biomedical

waste generated from the hospitals containing infectious items like amputated

body parts, body fluids, cultures of contagious viruses, bandages, swabs and

other wastes from operation theatres and laboratories, needles, excreta from

patients with highly contagions diseases and (iii) Industrial waste coming out of

the industries.

Apart from these sources, construction debris with its heaps of sandstone,

bricks, rubble, etc. on streets and vacant plots are major sources of nuisance

which also cause traffic hindrances, besides presenting an ugly sight or visual

pollution. (Barai 2007)

In most of the cities of developing countries, untreated solid waste lying

along the roadside and in vacant plots is a very common scene and Haldwani is

no exception. Heaps of garbage and refuse can be seen scattered outside the

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community bins and in open areas. Even in the residential areas the residents use

the vacant lands as dumping places. There are several reasons for this scenario.

Firstly, there is no provision for door to door collection of household garbage.

Secondly, the number of community bins available for dumping garbage is less in

number and the few which are available are not attended regularly. Thirdly, there

is no proper method for solid waste disposal.

In Haldwani, the facility of door to door collection of garbage by the

sanitary workers is not provided by the municipal corporation. So, the people

dispose their garbage by themselves. Those people who have the facility of

community bins nearby use these bins, the rest use vacant lands, canals and

drains to throw their household waste. Sometimes the people also burn the

garbage. The waste from the community bins is collected by the trucks and

carried to the disposal sites. According to Mr. Lohani, Municipal Corporation of

Haldwani the total waste generated per day is 45-50 metric tons. But out of this

only 25 metric tons is collected per day and rest remains scattered around the

bins on the roadside. Since the municipal corporation is itself short of resources

and is not equipped with proper waste management technique, therefore there is a

serious problem of solid waste disposal in the city. In the absence of a proper

trenching ground the municipal waste that is collected is dumped openly along

the Gaula River.

This practice has transformed major portion of the river into a dumping

site. The site has become an unsightly dirty and unhealthy place with access of

birds, rodents, fleas, etc. Therefore, the residents of the nearby place who are

mostly slums are at a high risk of infection due to the hazardous waste which

keeps accumulating over time.

The bio medical waste is a highly infections waste and must be disposed

off immediately and carefully. With the increase in population more and more

private hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and pathology laboratories have

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emerged in the city. According to Dr. D.K.Joshi, A.S.O, UEPPCB the biomedical

waste is incinerated but in a city with a population of less than 5 lakhs the system

of deep burial is used. Disposal of biomedical waste is the responsibility of the

hospital authority and UEPPCB only checks whether the waste is disposed off or

not. Although, in Haldwani Susheela Tiwari Hospital has the facility of

incinerator where biomedical waste is brought from all the adjoining cities. But it

was observed that some hospitals do not follow the norms proposed by the

UEPPCB and bandages, cotton wool, syringes were seen lying around some of

the hospitals.

Actually every kind of waste has a proper method of disposal.

Biodegradable waste is utilized through composting. The non biodegradable

waste is recycled using a densifier plant. But all these are hi-tech methods of

solid waste management are highly expensive; hence they are beyond the reach

of developing countries like India. In most of the Indian cities low- tech methods

are used. Most of the solid waste is dumped on the open grounds and used as

landfill. But with respect to Haldwani space is not available even for landfill or

trenching ground.

The main reasons for the large amount of waste generated is increasing

population and inefficiency of the local government in providing basic services.

Another reason is the increasing consumerism which is an important feature of

the urban society. Increased use of plastics, synthetic good, polythene bags which

are use and throw materials have aggravated the problem of solid waste disposal.

Another area of concern in the city is the problem of sewage disposal.

There are 23083 households in the city but only 1145 households have access to

sewer line. Like solid waste there is again no proper method of sewage disposal.

The sewage directly opens into the irrigational canals. The contaminated canal

water carrying various disease causing germs and pathogens is used for irrigating

the adjoining farms in the rural areas.

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References

Barai, Daksha. 2005. C.A Perspective on Solid Waste Management in Bangalore

city: Viable Technologies Options, in Urbanization, Development and

Environment(Ed) Phadke V.S and S Banerjee Guha. Rawat

Publication.New Delhi.

District Industries Centre. 2007. Annual Report. Haldwani.

Grewal, R.S. 1995. Noise Pollution A case for Comprehensive Legislation, in

Environmental Pollution(Ed) Garg M.R, V.K Bansal and Tiwana. Deep

and Deep Publications. New Delhi.

Peyjal Nigam. 2006. Project Report-Haldwani Water Supply Reorganization

Scheme(source augmentation) ³Construction of 8 Tube Wells ´-Part II.

Haldwani.

Peyjal Sansthan. 2007. Project-Report. Haldwani-Kathgodam Sewerage

Reorganization Scheme. Haldwani.

Regional Transport Office.2007. Report S-4 of registered vehicles under

division/subdivision. Haldwani.

Urban and Rural Planning Department. 2004.Haldwani- Kathgodam Master

Plan-2025. Haldwani.

Uttarakhand Environmental Conservation and Pollution Control

Board.2005.Annual Report. Haldwani.

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