36% STPs in Haryana don't meet norms

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

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Chandigarh, March 31

More than one-third of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Haryana don’t meet the prescribed standards.

As many as 56 STPs out of 156, which comes to around 36 per cent, don’t comply with standards, submitted Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to National Green Tribunal (NGT).

In the catchment area of Ghaggar, there are 62 STPs of 535 MLD capacity catering to 27 towns. Twenty STPs don’t meet the standards.

In the catchment area of Yamuna, there are 59 STPs with capacity of 1,074 MLD catering to 34 towns. Here, 17 have failed to comply with the standards.

There are 35 STPs in other areas with 225 MLD capacity catering to 35 towns and here, 19 don’t meet the prescribed standards.

A total of 43 STPs are complying with the norm of 30 mg/l BOD but non-complying as per the latest fixed norm of 10mg/l BOD. Thirteen STPs do not meet even the BOD norm of 30 mg/l. These STPs are operated by Public Health, Urban Local Bodies Department and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA).

In addition, there are 25 STPs which don’t comply with the norm of faecal coliform which has to be less than 100 MPN/100 ML.

HSPCB has already filed prosecution against responsible authorities for eight STPs and is in the process of filing prosecution for the rest of the non-complying ones.

Most of the STPs discharge effluent in drains after treatment. The status of water quality of drains is being monitored on a regular basis. There are 12 drains falling in catchment of Ghaggar and 11 drains in Yamuna catchment which carry polluted effluent .

The status report says that HSPCB has imposed environment compensation of Rs 77.54 crore on industries and Rs 9.74 crore on STPs. Only Rs 30.05 crore has been received and Rs 51.03 crore is pending. “The action plan shall be proposed for the same,” added the report.

New 29 STPs of 412.25 MLD — with 11 in Ghaggar catchment and 18 in Yamuna catchment — in the state are being constructed to replace the existing ones or meet with stringent standards of 10 mg/l BOD value.