Panipat to convert Jatal Road STP into CETP to curb Yamuna pollution

In a bid to reduce pollution in the Yamuna, the district administration has decided to convert the 10 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) on Jatal Road into a Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) to treat industrial effluent discharged from units in the Old Industrial Area.

Developed in 1949, the Old Industrial Area is the city's oldest industrial cluster, with around 300 operational units. However, it does not have a Common Effluent Treatment Plant. The area's sewer network is also in poor condition, with several stretches badly choked.

Industrial units have been discharging chemical effluent directly into Drain-1, where polluted water flows continuously. After Chautala Road, Drain-1 merges with Drain-2, which ultimately joins the Yamuna near Khojkipur village in Samalkha, contributing to river pollution.

According to sources, only 54 of the nearly 300 industrial units are registered with the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), of which 40 are classified as water-polluting units. These units discharge around 1.5 million litres of untreated industrial effluent into Drain-1 every day.

Drain-1, which runs from Kabri Road to Chautala Road, remains heavily polluted due to industrial discharge from the Old Industrial Area and adjoining industrial clusters. Sources said more than 350 dyeing units are registered with the HSPCB, while several illegal dyeing and bleaching units are also operating in the area, many located close to the drains.

To check the discharge of untreated industrial effluent and domestic sewage into the drains, the 10 MLD STP will be converted into a CETP under the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP). The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) has initiated planning for the conversion, sources said.

Panipat currently generates around 73 MLD of industrial effluent every day. The city has CETPs with a combined treatment capacity of 42 MLD in Sector 29, Part II. Construction of an additional 21 MLD CETP is also underway there and is expected to be completed by March 2028.

“After its completion, the total CETP capacity in Sector 29 will increase to 63 MLD,” said Bhupender Singh Chahal, Regional Officer, HSPCB, Panipat.

Divisional Commissioner Rajiv Ratan on Wednesday reviewed the progress of projects under the Yamuna Action Plan and directed officials of the concerned departments to complete the works within the stipulated timeline.

During the meeting, Additional Deputy Commissioner Ankit Chouksey directed officials of the Municipal Corporation and HSIIDC to jointly conduct a detailed survey to assess the feasibility of developing a sewer network in the Old Industrial Area.

He also asked officials to prepare a detailed action plan for converting the existing 10 MLD STP into a CETP and submit it to the competent authority at the earliest so that necessary approvals could be obtained and the project implemented in a time-bound manner.