PPCB orders dyeing units to stop discharge in Buddha Nallah
With no arrangements for water reuse, fate of 200 dyeing units in limbo.
3 min read
During a cleanliness drive of Buddha Nallah in Ludhiana. (Express Photo)
The Punjab pollution control board (PPCB) in a written communication to dyeing associations’ office bearers at Tajpur road, Bahadurke road and Focal point have stated that they cannot discharge effluents from the common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) into Buddha Nallah or any other surface water body.
Dyeing units are either supposed to reuse the treated water or can give that water for irrigation purposes. As dyeing units have no immediate arrangements for reuse, the fate of over 200 dyeing units hangs in air.
Earlier on May 3, 2013, the special purpose vehicle (SPV), formed to run the common effluent treatment plants of dyeing units at Tajpur road, Bahadurke road and Focal point, was granted environment clearance on the clause that they will not discharge treated water in Buddha Nallah or any other surface water body. However, they continued to do so over the years.
Pardeep Gupta, chief environment engineer of PPCB, said, that environment compensation will be levied on them based on the years they discharged water in Buddha Nallah even after treating it. “Immediate orders have been issued to stop any kind of discharge to Buddha Nallah,” he said.
The PPCB in its earlier report had also admitted that Buddha Nullah water is unfit for irrigation. (File)
The order dated September 25 also mentions that the SPV formed to operate common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) are supposed to meet the discharge standards and comply with disposal conditions mentioned in environment clearance granted by ministry of forest, environment and climate change on May 3, 2013.
When asked, Bobby Jindal, general secretary of Punjab Dyers Association, said, that a 50 million litres per day (MLD) CETP is located at Tajpur road, a 40 MLD at Focal point and a 15 MLD at Bahadurke road. “In 2013, when we got the clearance, it was decided that the government will make an outlet to carry the treated water either for reuse or for irrigation purposes. But government did nothing and now they are issuing directions to us. We will fight our case as we are following all norms and are treating the water. They need to tell us where we should throw the water, otherwise these are indirect orders to close all dyeing units,” he said.
However, PPCB engineers said that the SPV was to manage its own discharge and the government was not supposed to construct anything.
The PPCB order comes days after ‘Kale Pani da Morcha’, a civil movement, announced to stop discharge of polluted water of Buddha Nallah into Sutlej from October 1. A hearing of all three SPVs took place on September 18. Even the Punjab government announced its Buddha Nallah cleanliness plan in a three-pronged strategy about a week ago.
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