GURUGRAM: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) instructed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) to implement some corrective measures against 14 common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) that have been flouting safety regulations. Two of these plants are located in Faridabad and one is located in Gurugram and have been operating in violation of the Environment Protection Act, 1986. The plants were marked as defaulters in a survey conducted by the central body in various states (including Haryana) in March and May of 2019 on the orders issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The CPCB issued a report highlighting their discoveries and found that the corrective measures are required to be taken in all 14 CETPs in the state, to become fully compliant with the EPA (1986). The plants receive industrial effluents from textile, automobile, dairy, pharmaceutical, chemical processing, food processing and metal fabrication units, among others, the report mentions.
In Haryana, the CPCB found that nine CETPs were discharging industrial effluents, which do not meet safety standards. Five were found to be compliant, but lacking official certification, while one plant (in Rohtak), was not operational.
An HSPCB official said, “We are in the process of ensuring that all the CETPs have online continuous emission monitoring system (OCEMS) installed, and will be monitoring discharge standards regularly. The CPCB’s instructions will be followed. As for compliant plants, we will expedite the authorisation formalities. They are not an environmental concern.”