Effluent treatment plants not working to their capacity

Indian Express: Pune: Thursday, March 28, 2013.

RTI Reply Levels of pollutants in treated effluent found to be dangerously high at 3 CETPs.

All is not well with the three central effluent treatment plants (CETP) in the industrial pockets of Pune. Documents accessed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) paint a disturbing picture about their functioning. Despite treatment, the levels of pollutants in the treated effluent are found to be dangerously high at the three plants, which in turn further damage the environment of the area.

Located within the industrial hubs of Talegaon, Ranjangaon and Kurkumb, the three CETPs are run by the local associations of industries. While Talegaon and Ranjangaon have mechanical and automobile industries, Kurkumbh has mostly chemical and allied industries.

Periodic inspections of the CETPs by the MPCB have proved that the plants are not working to their full capacity. Also, the joint inspection report of the Ranjangaon plant states that as of February 4, 2013, the equlisation tank used for collecting the waste water was not working, and so was the flowmeter of the pH meter of the plant. The inspection reports filed by field officers of MPCB say the Talegaon CETP was not operational in June 2012, and on other occasions it was found running for only four-and-a-half hours per day.

The field officers in their inspection reports for last three years have stated that all CETPs are working below their full capacity. With many of the important instruments not working, the CETPs were not doing their best while dealing with effluent treatment. As per the norms, the pollution in water is measured in terms of biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand (BOD and COD, respectively). While BOD is the measure of biological pathogens in the water, COD is the measure of chemical pollutants.

The periodic testing of water at all three CETPs have shown that both the BOD and COD at the plants are way too higher than the allowed limits. An analysis shows that the BOD and COD have always been double the permissible limits of 100 mg/l and 250 mg/l, respectively, as specified by the MPCB, at the three CETPs. Also, the chloride content and the chlorinated pesticides were abnormally high at all CETPs.

On its part, the MPCB had issued directions and notices to the CETPs. On January 8, 2013, Anil Mohekar, regional officer of MPCB (Pune), had sent directions under Section 33 A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 asking for taking urgent measures to rectify the functioning of the Ranjangaon CETP. Based on its visits, the MPCB had stated that the CETP was causing serious pollutions.

“The CETP has been given time till June 30 to carry out the rectification, failing which the board would be taking action against them,” the report stated.

In case of Talegaon CETP, the MPCB has asked it to upgrade its facilities by May this year.