Ludhiana: Most dyeing units have no treatment plants

Shivani Bhakoo

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Ludhiana, May 6

Dyeing units are often held responsible for polluting water bodies. But the pickling industry, especially the wire-drawing units, too is posing major threat to human lives and environment as these units use hydrochloric acid (HCL) and sulphuric acid for the process.

If the cost of sulphuric acid is around Rs 10 per kg, hydrochloric acid is around Rs 2-3 per kg and for cost-cutting, most of the wire-drawing units consume the HCL illegally without the consent of the PPCB because there is no proper treatment plants for the HCL and throw the dangerous acid in sewers.

There are about 200 wire-drawing units here which are scattered at different places, including Giaspura, Industrial Area C, Dhandari, Jaspal Banga, Kanganwal, etc. A survey of the wire-drawing units was conducted by a private firm which found that the total production by the wire-drawing units was anywhere from 3,000 tonne-10,000 tonne per month.

As per the production data, the daily effluent discharge of these units should be around 10,000 litres per day whereas just about 300 litres is lifted by companies. The major companies lifting this discharge include the JBR Group, Krishna Agro Chemical, Ludhiana, Ferti Chemical, Ludhiana, KR Enterprises, Ludhiana, Charanjit LLP, Ludhiana, and Keshav Chemicals, Ludhiana.

At the same time, president of the Punjab Dyers Association Ashok Makkar said there were about 325 dyeing units in Ludhiana and most are already throwing the discharge in three CEPTs at Focal Point, Tajpur Road and Bahadurke Road.

However, there are still 50-60 dyeing units which claim to have installed their own CETP plants and throw the “treated” water into main STPs of the MC. Now, it becomes the duty of the PPCB to check if the water discharged into the main sewer lines is treated?

These units have their own tanks on the premises where effluent water is collected for “treatment”.

“As per contracts with the firms, the effluent is to be put in tankers through suction machines by the treatment firms, which is then taken to the plants for treatment. Do you think, tankers collect all this untreated waste from 200 units? If this was done, there would have been no deaths because of poisonous gases. Most of the untreated water is discharged in the sewers illegally,” alleged a wire-drawing owner.

Sources said the question arose that 10,000 litre effluent should be discharged on a daily basis by the wire-drawing units whereas about 300 litre is lifted, then what about the remaining water discharged?

“Now, it is the PPCB to check and take action against the violators, responsible for degrading the entire environment,” said the sources.