Waste treatment plant to come up near Kala Amb

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, March 7

A committee headed by Deputy Commissioner Sirmaur has finalised a few sites around the industrial town of Kala Amb for setting up the much-needed Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in this industrial area which houses more than 100 units.

This plant will ensure scientific disposal of toxic industrial waste, a part of which was being unscientifically disposed, and finding way into the water bodies flowing into Haryana.

Since this issue has figured prominently in the several inter-state meetings being held between the state pollution control boards of Himachal and Haryana in the recent past the officials have woken up to address this issue. A joint inspection of the Jattanwala Nullah had also been conducted by officials from both state boards in December last year.

The officials from Haryana had pointed out that lack of effective manning had led to flowing of untreated industrial waste into this nullah and it was polluting the water bodies flowing into Haryana.

Regional Officer of the SPCB, Paonta Sahib, Avinash Sharda said a few sites have been selected for setting up this effluent treatment plant and the final site would be selected after taking into consideration the relevant factors. He said a meeting would soon be held with the stakeholders which included the more than 100 investors of the area and they would be informed about the usefulness of this plant. Following this a detailed project report would be worked out and the process was likely to be completed soon.

The Chief Secretary had directed the Deputy Commissioner Sirmaur to submit a report about setting up this CETP within a time-bound manner as the case was being directly reviewed by the state government.