Kasauli liquor plant effluents 'pollute' water source

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, January 16

Residents of 10 villages in two gram panchayats around Kasauli received no water supply today as its main source (Ganol Khud) was contaminated with untreated effluents allegedly discharged from the plant of liquor manufacturer Mohan Meakin Private Limited.

Plant shut for 10 days

We have shut the plant for 10 days after the spillage of spent grain residue, generated during fermentation, was detected in a nearby nullah. It had accumulated over a period of time. The plant staff have undertaken immediate cleaning of the nullah. — Gobind Singh Rathaur, CEO, Mohan Meakin Pvt ltd, Kasauli

Jal Shakti Department employees had noticed the mischief on the morning of January 14 and suspended water lifting from the scheme.

The Larah lift water supply scheme is located at Ganol Khud while the Mohan Meakin’s plant is located on its upstream. The plant management allegedly took advantage of two holidays (Saturday and Sunday) and possibility of rain to discharge untreated effluents into the khud.

SDM, Kasauli, Gaurav Mahajan, on receiving information, summoned officials of Mohan Meakin’s plant today. He said that the company officials were told to explain their stand by noon tomorrow, failing which strict action would be taken for contamination of the potable water source.

He said officials of the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and the Jal Shakti Department had been asked to submit their reports in this regard. Jal Shakti Department officials had on Saturday sent samples of contaminated water to a National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories accredited laboratory and the department’s lab at Kandaghat.

As per preliminary findings, effluents discharged from the liquor plant had been found in khud water. Foam was visible on the surface and it was emitting a foul smell. Meanwhile, water supply remained suspended even today to avoid any health issue. As many as 10 villages bore the brunt. The water supply would remain suspended till the scheme was cleaned and its samples were found fit for human consumption, said Rahul, Assistant Engineer, Jal Shakti Department.

SPCB staff, who were also apprised about the incident, lifted water samples for ascertaining the cause of contamination. It would be ascertained if the capacity of the effluent treatment plant (ETP) at the company’s plant was sufficient to handle effluent load or not. As an ETP is run on electricity, investors have a tendency to discharge effluents in the open.

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