Pollution board puts erring effluent plant on final notice

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has issued a final ultimatum to the management of the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), warning of stringent penal action if it fails yet again to comply with pollution control norms.

Repeated laboratory analyses of samples drawn from the plant’s final outlet have revealed persistent violations, particularly in the bioassay test, which measures whether fish can survive for 72 hours in treated water. The failure of this key parameter is no small lapse: it signals that the water discharged into the Sarsa river poses a direct threat to aquatic life.

In an order issued on September 27, Member Secretary Praveen Chander Gupta noted that the CETP had consistently failed to meet the prescribed standards — first between September 14, 2023, and April 3, 2024, and again for a year-long period from July 31, 2024, to August 28, 2025. The SPCB monitors the plant monthly, but despite repeated warnings, violations have continued unchecked.

Officials expressed serious concern that these lapses not only caused environmental degradation but also breached provisions of Sections 25 and 26 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, enacted to protect the country’s rivers and water bodies.

While granting a last opportunity for compliance, the SPCB has cautioned that continued violations could attract a penalty ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15 lakh, besides an additional Rs 10,000 per day for each day of non-compliance. Moreover, environmental compensation will be levied in line with National Green Tribunal (NGT) directives based on the “polluter pays” principle.

“Given the extent of environmental harm, the CETP has been served a seven-day show-cause notice to explain its position before legal and penal proceedings are initiated,” Gupta said.

The CETP, established to scientifically treat and dispose of industrial effluents, has long been under scrutiny for its repeated failures. From leaking pipelines to inefficient treatment processes, the facility has been a recurring concern for both the SPCB and the NGT. In fact, it was earlier slapped with a Rs 1-crore environmental compensation for non-compliance and technical shortcomings.

Officials confirmed that the CETP management has submitted its response, which is now under examination, but insiders admit patience is wearing thin. This, they say, is the plant’s final chance before the law takes its course.