Grants by ministry likely to give Sanganer units new lease of life

Ministry of textiles is likely to give the textile units in Sanganer Rs160 crore for setting up a zero liquid discharge (ZID) plant to keep pollution under control. These units were served closure notices by the Rajasthan state pollution control board (RSPCB) just some time back for violation pollution norms. This will get them a new lease of life.

A final approval on the grant is expected next week in a meeting called by the ministry. If approved, this would be the third ZLD in the state, and also the country. The discharge plant will have a capacity to treat 18 million litres per day (MLD).

As per a study, the 650 units discharge 12.3 MLD of waste. However, officials said that the actual figure is much higher, pegging the figure at more than 17 MLD.

Zero-liquid discharge plants make use of the most advanced waste water treatment technologies to purify and recycle virtually all of the waste.

One such plant is already operational in Balotra which is also the first such plant in the country. It has the capacity of 18 MLD though requirement at the place is for 48 MLD.

More than 739 textile units in Balotra and its surrounding areas of Jasol and Bithuja had to be shut after NGT orders. The operations at some of these stared again after a discharge plant was put in place. Several other are on the verge of resuming operations.

This scheme was launched by the ministry last year. State government added some funds to the scheme and planned to apply it to four places – Jaipur, Jodhpur, Pali and Balotra. Of the four, a discharge plant was first set up in Balotra.

For Pali, an approval in principle is already in place. The plant here will have a 12 MLD capacity. It will be the second such plant in the country. For Jodhpur, a decision on the same is pending while the plant for Jaipur is expected to get approval soon.