Sonepat: NGT forms panel to check discharge of effluents by industries into drain

Mukesh Tandon

Sonepat, May 31

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a joint committee comprising a member of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Member Secretary of Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to check the discharge of untreated effluents into Drain No. 6 by the industrial units in the industrial estate of Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) in Barhi.

The NGT directed the joint committee to collect the factual reports about the capacity, capacity utilisation, performance of the common effluent treatment plant (CETP) and effluents received by this CETP.

The NGT also directed the committee members to check the primary effluent treatment plant (PETP) in all industrial units of HSIIDC-Barhi and sought a factual and action taken report within three months.

In an original application (OA) filed by a Delhi-based environmental activist, Varun Gulati, in the NGT, he alleged that there were around 900 industries and a CETP with a capacity of 16 million litres per day (MLD) that have been set up in HSIIDC.

However, the effluents discharged from the industries were much higher than the capacity of the existing CETP. He said the CETP was not properly maintained and the industrial effluent was being bypassed and discharged into Drain No. 6, which leads to Yamuna river.

The complainant further said a team of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) also found the presence of effluent in a stormwater drain. He also highlighted the improper functioning of CETP-Barhi.

However, the HSPCB has also recommended the prosecution of HSIIDC officials responsible for the operation of CETP. However, the matter was not proceeded further, he said.

Following the complaint, the NGT issued notices to the Haryana Government, HSPCB and Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation.

The NGT also formed a joint committee comprising representatives of the Member Secretaries of CPCB and HSPCB.

The committee will also collect the samples from the discharge point of the CETP at the said drain and from the point where the drain enters Delhi and meets Yamuna river through the Najafgarh drain. After the analysis of the samples is done, the factual and action taken report will be submitted.

The committee will also examine the compliance by the industrial units in respect to discharge of the effluent in the industrial area of Barhi.