Act against units for discharge of toxic waste into drain, DC directs HSPCB

Tribune News Service

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, April 6

Tightening the noose on owners of factories involved in discharging chemical effluents into Drain No. 2, which pollutes the Yamuna river, Deputy Commissioner Virender Kumar Dahiya has directed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to initiate action against them. The DC has also sought a detailed report of the action taken against the factory owners who have violated pollution norms.

He has directed the regional officer of the HSPCB to keep more vigil in the area. He said if anyone was found discharging untreated industrial effluents into drains, a criminal case would be registered against that person and he would be arrested.

Drain No. 1 is about 8 km long, which stretches from the Kabri road to Chautala road and meets Drain No. 2, which leads to the Yamuna near Khojkipur village. But untreated waste water has been polluting both drains at several places in the city.

Notably, Panipat is a textile hub and over 400 registered dyeing units are operating in the city, of which 300 are in Sector 29 Part-2 and over 100 are spread across various industrial sectors. Over 200 dyeing units are operating illegally in various areas of the district.

Most of the industries in Sanoli and Bapoli areas in the city are discharging toxic waste water directly into the Yamuna through tankers.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had conducted a survey in 2022, in which around 415 industrial units had been identified in the state which were releasing their toxic waste openly in drains which is a major cause of pollution in the river. In the survey, it was found that the maximum (45 per cent) units contributing to such pollution were from Panipat. A special report has also been prepared by the CID about the pollution and discharge of effluents in Drain No. 2.

According to the Intelligence report, such discharge is mostly being done at night and the local villagers used their tankers to drain out the chemical water. It is mandatory for all industrialists to install an effluent treatment plant (ETP), but industrialists have made a big storage area for chemical waste in their factories, which is discharged into Drain No. 2 at night.

Surjeet Singh, SDO, Irrigation Department, said, “We have been conducting checks regularly during the day time and a fine of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 is being imposed on the violators.”

“No joint inspection of the irrigation and pollution departments has been conducted so far to check the drains,” he said.

Bhupender Chahal, Regional Officer, HSPCB, said regular inspections were being carried out to check the violators. “Prosecution has been filed against six industrial units and Rs 58 lakh environment compensation (EC) has been imposed on them in the last six months,” the RO said.

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