Take action against five errant effluent treatment units: CPCB to Haryana pollution board

Mukesh Tandon

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Panipat, January 15

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to initiate action against five common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) which were found non-complying with the pollution control norms.

The CPCB also directed to upgrade 12 CETPs and the online continuous stack emission monitoring system (OCEMS) data of the CETPs located in the state.

Defaulting units

• CETP at Industrial Estate Barhi, Sonepat,
• 21 MLD CETP of HSVP in Sector 29 part-2 Panipat
• CETP at HSIIDC Kutana Rohtak (Bahadurgarh);
• CETP at Sector 16/17 in Bahadurgarh
• CETP in Sector 58, Ballabhgarh, Faridabad

A team of experts of technical institutes and officials carried out the inspection of the CETPs and grossly polluting industries (GPIs) under the Namami Gange Programme in March 2022 and prepared a detailed report.

A total of 19 CETPs with the designed capacity of 192 MLD were getting effluents from industries, comprising food processing units, pharmaceuticals, electroplating factories, textile units etc, out of which 18 were found operational.

As per the report available, 18 CETPs were receiving 136 MLD effluents ie only 72 per cent against the designed capacity of the CETPs.

Out of the 18, 13 CETPs were found complying, while five were found non-complying with the notified norms for BOD, COD, TSS and ammonical nitrogen.

The five non-complying CETPs are CETP at Industrial Estate Barhi in Sonepat, 21 MLD CETP of HSVP in Sector 29 part-2 Panipat, CETP at HSIIDC Kutana Rohtak (Bahadurgarh); CETP at Sector 16/17 in Bahadurgarh and CETP in Sector 58, (Ballabhgarh) Faridabad.

The report says that the high influent load BOD of more than 100 to 960 mg/l was observed in 14 CETPs, in seven CETPs the influent organic load was observed between 100 and 300 mg/l, while in the remaining seven, the influent organic load was observed between 300-1000 mg/l.

In two CETPs, the aeration tank was found to be unstabilised and the mixed liquid volatile suspended solids (MLVSs) were observed to be more than 1500 mg/l.

The mixing of the sewage with industrial waste and unregulated use of chemicals (coagulants, flocculants etc) was also observed in all CETPs. The CPCB said on the basis of the observations, 12 out of the 18 operational CETPs required upgrade measures to address their shortcomings and enhance their performance. The CPCB directed the HSPCB to initiate action against the non-complying CETPs including levying environmental compensation on them.

The CPCB also directed the HSPCB to direct the individual CETP operators Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) to prepare an action plan duly validated by expert technical institutes for the upgrade of these 12 CETPs. The CPCB directed that the action plans of these 12 CETPs should be submitted to the CPCB within 30 days.