MYSURU: A day after Harshal, 14, succumbed to burns suffered in a fire in an agricultural field, allegedly caused by chemical waste, in Naganahalli village on Mysuru ’s outskirts, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) issued a preliminary report which found the soil temperature was 110 degree Celsius.A team of Board officials conducted a spot inspection and also found the pH (a measure of acidity and alkalinity) level in the soil to be 7.0; pH levels range from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, below 7 acidic and above 7 alkaline.Officials said that four samples of soil at the place where the incident took place, and five samples of soil from the vicinity were taken in the presence of villagers and the media. “The soil samples will be sent for testing to the Central Pollution Control Lab and regional lab of the State Board as well. The reason for fire and other problems at the spot will be revealed after the lab sends the report. The colour of soil is found to be ash brown. There is no specific smell or pungent feel at the spot,” the report said.Pollution Board officials said that the fire from the soil is reported from a natural dump in the field, which is spread over 4 acres 14 guntas, close to Varuna canal, near Shyadanahalli. “The spot has no road access and we have not found any trace of vehicular movement to the spot till recently,” said an official.To look deeper into the matter, a team of experts including Jaiprakash, member of the Pollution Control Board’s technical advisory board, and Sandeep N Mudaliar, principal scientist, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), visited the plot and also collected poisonous gas samples.Mines and geology department joint director Panduranga claimed the soil site contains metal components lead and graphite. A detailed study will be conducted to know since when the waste was being dumped at the site.Meanwhile, land owner Swamanna’s daughters Lakshmi and Jyothi told TOI that their father has been bedridden for a year, ever since he suffered a paralytic stroke. “He used to visit the site regularly, but as he is not well, he stopped coming. We came to know about the tragic incident from newspapers. We don’t know who dumped chemical waste on our site,” she said.VICTIM LAID TO RESTHarshal’s mortal remains were laid to rest at a cemetery off national highway 150-A in Mysuru on Monday. Earlier, his body was kept in front of Mysuru Maranatha Church, Shyadanahalli, for public viewing after it was handed over to relatives following an autopsy.According to a relative, CM Narashima, “On Thursday, Harshal and his friends Manoj, Yashwanth and Ullas had gone out to play. Around 3.30pm, his father Murthy got a phone call from hospital staff. When we rushed to the hospital, he was lying in bed with 75 per cent burns. He spoke to us and explained how the incident took place. He was normal on Friday, but on Saturday there was swelling on his body. The next day, just a few seconds after pastor Jeevanand Stephen held prayers at the bedside, he expired,” he said.Meanwhile, district minister HC Mahadevappa and MLA Vasu visited the spot. Mahadevappa told reporters that he had directed the authorities to take up a scientific study of the land and find which chemical led to tragedy. “Action will be initiated against the persons who are guilty. Compensation for the victim’s family will be provided from the CM’s relief fund,” he said.Harshal’s father Murthy is a security guard at St Matthias School, while mother Jansi works as a housekeeper at Infosys campus. His younger brother Prajwal is in Class 6 at Infant Jesus School at Belavatha, near RBI. A grief-stricken Murthy urged the authorities to take steps to streamline industrial waste management.Pollution Board officials knew about dump, but did nothing, say localsTimes news networkMysuru: Did negligence on the part of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board authorities claim the life of teenager Harshal?Considering the situation at the accident site, it is evident that the authorities have completely failed to monitor the waste and measures adopted by industries to dispose of industrial waste.A month ago, sheep had died of burns at the same place when a shepherd, unaware of industrial waste dumped in the area, brought his sheep to graze. In another incident, Manjunath, a resident of Manjunathanagar, received burns on both his legs when he went to the plot to attend nature’s call just a week ago. He is now being treated at KR Hospital.The farmer, who has a coconut plantation adjacent to the land, complained to the authorities about the chemical waste after his coconut trees were completely burnt due to the high temperature.In all these incidents, people had informed the authorities concerned about fire erupting on the vacant land. The authorities, however, turned a deaf ear to the complaints, which led to the tragedy. Ironically, the head office of the Pollution Control Board is just a stone’s throw away from the place where the accident took place, and comes under Metagalli police station jurisdiction.The mines and geology department authorities, who visited the place on Monday, said that more than 15 truckloads of industrial waste were found dumped on 20 guntas of vacant land belonging to Swamanna.“The initial observations state that dust from charcoal, which is used to heat boilers in nearby industries, was illegally dumped on the land for the past several years. Chemical dust formed a huge layer over the ground. Due to the summer heat, the temperature at the site increased considerably, reaching more than 100 degree Celsius,” officer said.A Board officer, on condition of anonymity, told TOI that they had issued a notice to a chemical factory to close down the unit after they found the water in the borewell inside the factory premises had turned yellow. The factory had polluted the groundwater. “But even after the notice to close down, the factory continues to run, as a few officers are hand in glove with the owners. We have decided to take stern action against the unit,” an officer said.NO DUMP SITES?The tragedy exposed that industrial areas in Mysuru lack waste dumping sites. Department of industries and commerce, Mysuru, joint director Ramakrishnegowda claimed that except Adakanahalli industrial areas in Nanjangud taluk, where nearly 10 acres are earmarked for dumping industrial waste, the remaining areas and estates in the district do not have a place to dump or treat industrial waste.This means there is no proper monitoring of industrial waste which is being let into storm water drains, open public places or into water bodies.“There are 11 industrial areas and six industrial estates in the district but most of these industries have not earmarked a place for dumping industrial waste, which is a blunder. In the days to come, we will speak to KIADB authorities and try to provide a place for solid waste management or a dump for industrial waste,” he added.“We are concerned about how industries are decomposing their industrial waste. We will collect all these details from each industry. When land is allotted to KIADB, it should reserve exclusive place for dumping industrial waste. During a meeting where KIADB officials will be present, we will take up this issue and try to come up with the solution,” explained DC D Randeep.Guilty will face the musicThe place is not an authorized dump. Prima facie, it is found that waste dust was illegally dumped on the private land. The temperature is high due to chemicals which led to an accident where the child received more than 70% burns and died. There will be buffer zones for industries and lakes where no residential layouts can be developed. But here we have found layouts which will be probed. A detailed study about the samples will be done to find out whether it is industrial waste or has formed due to a natural calamity. Action will be initiated against the person who is found guilty of dumping waste.D Randeep | deputy commissioner