Samples of treatment plant at Barhi fail again

Tribune News Service

Mukesh Tandon

Sonepat, April 14

The 16 MLD common effluent treatment plant (CETP) in the industrial zone of the Haryana State Industrial Infrastructure and Development Corporation (HSIIDC) at Barhi has been non-compliant for the past two years. As a result, effluent discharged from red category industries is reportedly flowing directly into drain No. 6, which leads to the Yamuna.

All samples collected by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) in the last two years have failed laboratory test. The Regional Officer (RO), HSPCB, Sonepat, has proposed an environmental compensation (EC) of Rs 1.94 crore on the HSIIDC and the contractor company, and also sought prosecution of 13 persons, including HSIIDC officials and directors of the company in an environment court.

Delhi-based environmentalist Varun Gulati has also complained to the higher authorities regarding the discharge of effluents into the drain at Barhi, which is the main reason behind the pollution of the Yamuna.

The HSPCB team collected the samples from the pump house operated by the HSIIDC, and from the final discharging point of the CETP, and as per the report, all parameters were found exceeding the prescribed limits.

It again collected the samples from the final outlet of the CETP into the drain from March 2022 to December 31, 2023, and all were found exceeding the parameters.

The HSPCB has served 15 show-cause notices with environmental compensation on the Senior Manager, HSIIDC, Barhi. Sources said the HSIIDC obtained the consent to operate the CETP in 2023, but it did not take the consent to establishment (CTE) for the plant.

The sources in the HSPCB said the CETP was found discharging pollutants in excess of the standards prescribed under the EP Rules, 1986.

The RO, Sonepat, has calculated a total environmental compensation for the period of March 2022 to December 2023, according to the formula set by the CPCB. A sum of Rs 1.94 crore has been calculated for violating the norms, said RO Pradeep Kumar.

The EC has been sent to the headquarters for approval.

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