STP to be converted into effluent treatment plant to curb Yamuna pollution in Panipat

In a bid to curb 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 by units in the Old Industrial Area.

Notably, the Old Industrial Area, developed in 1949, is the city’s oldest industrial estate. Around 300 industrial units are operational there, but the area does not have a CETP. The sewer network in the area is also badly choked at several places.

As a result, chemical effluent from factories is being discharged directly into Drain-1, where it can be seen flowing continuously. After Chautala Road, Drain 1 merges with Drain 2, which ultimately joins the Yamuna near Khojkipur village in Samalkha, contributing to pollution in the river.

According to sources, only 54 of the 300 industrial units in the area are registered with the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB). Of these, 40 are classified as water-polluting units.

These units discharge around 1.5 million litres per day (MLD) of untreated industrial effluent into Drain 1, making it a major source of pollution in the Yamuna.

Drain 1 flows from Kabri Road to Chautala Road through the city and remains heavily polluted as it carries industrial effluent from the Old Industrial Area and other industrial clusters. Sources said more than 350 dyeing units are registered with the HSPCB, while several illegal dyeing units and bleaching houses are also operating in the area, most of them located near the drains.

To curb the discharge of untreated industrial effluent and domestic sewage into the drains, the existing 10 MLD STP will be converted into a CETP under the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP), enabling proper treatment of industrial effluent generated by units in the Old Industrial Area.

The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) has also initiated planning for the conversion of the STP into a CETP, sources added.

Approximately 73 MLD of industrial effluent is generated daily by industries in Panipat. At present, CETPs with a combined treatment capacity of 42 MLD are operational in Sector 29, Part II. Construction of another 21 MLD CETP is also underway in the same area and is expected to be completed by March 2028.

Bhupender Singh Chahal, Regional Officer, HSPCB, Panipat, said that once the new plant was operational, the total CETP treatment capacity in Sector 29 would increase to 63 MLD.

On Wednesday, Divisional Commissioner Rajiv Ratan chaired a meeting with officials of the departments concerned to review the progress of projects under the Yamuna Action Plan aimed at curbing pollution in the river. He directed officials to complete the works within the stipulated timeframe.

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

He also instructed 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 the necessary approvals can be obtained in a time-bound manner and the project can be taken forward.