Industrial units without PETPs to shut down after May 22 deadline in Surat

The Primary effluent treatment plant (PETP) is applicable to textile processing and chemical units in and around Surat. The effluents have to be treated at PETPs at the unit and then sent for secondary treatment at the Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP). If the units fail to comply with the order, they will be shut down after May 22 deadline.

The forest and environment department of Gujarat government has warned polluting industrial units across Surat and its surrounding areas to stop release of untreated waste into water bodies and those industrial units not having functional primary effluent treatment plants (PETPs) by May 22 will be asked for closure.

The forest and environment department’s additional chief secretary Arvind Agarwal said that a common public notice has been issued by Gujarat Pollution Control Board(GPCB) following the Supreme Court’s order to all the industrial units to ensure that they have PETPs as mandated under the law.

Agarwal said that the Supreme Court has ruled that the pollution control board will have to check the present status of the CETPs, if their capacity has to be expanded. For this, the apex court has given three years time for capacity expansion of the CETPs.

Agarwal further talking about illegal discharge of hazardous effluents by industries in Bharuch, Ankleshwar and Vapi inot the canals and sewerage in Surat said that they caught a tanker laden with hazardous effluent three days ago in Surat and found its owner. The industrial unit in Bharuch was ordered to shut down with immediate effect. They have issued another notice to a unit in Bharuch for illegal discharge of effluent in Surat.

The entire network of illegal discharge of effluent is run by mafias. The GPCB officials are being threatened with serious consequences. They are seeking assistance of local police to nail down mafias.

The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) is going to expand the tertiary treatment plant with additional 40 MLD capacity soon. This is being done for the first time in Gujarat and they want other municipal corporations and nagarpalikas to replicate the project to save ground and river water.

Currently, the tertiary water project of SMC is treating around 40 million litres of water (MLD) per day and supplying it to industries in Pandesara GIDC.