The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructural Development Corporation (HSIIDC) has sought the approval of funds to the tune of about Rs. 700 crore for setting up new Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in the district for the disposal of untreated industrial and chemical waste.
It is alleged that over 70 percent of the untreated waste from the industries is being disposed of in drains and the Yamuna.
The state government had approved the proposal for setting up three new CETPs with a total capacity of 90 MLD at Pratapgarh, Mirzapur and Badshahpur villages about a year ago. However, the work on ground is yet to take off, as the approval regarding the funding of these plants is awaited, claim sources in the district administration.
It is revealed that the estimates of required funds have already been submitted to the agencies of the Union Government under the schemes like the ‘Namami Gange’, a programme of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
“The construction of the proposed CETPs is estimated to cost Rs. 400 crore. But the department may require an additional funding to the tune of Rs. 300 crore for outsourcing the work of maintenance and upkeep for a period of 10 to 15 years,” said an official.
These plants, which will have an individual capacity between 15 and 50 MLD, will be set up at spots where a similar infrastructure of STPs has been functional for the treatment of domestic sewage.
However, it is claimed that the existing infrastructure of the CETPs is poor and inadequate. Only one CETP with the capacity of 10.5 MLD is functional for over 800 industrial units in the Industrial Model Township (IMT) here.
Besides, there is no waste treatment infrastructure for over 17,000 units operational in the non-conforming zones. A majority of the untreated waste goes into the Gonchi drain that falls into the Yamuna river.
Only one-third of the total 28,000 industrial units, located in authorised industrial sectors, have access to the effluent treatment facilities,” said a spokesperson of an industrial association.
HSIIDC Manager Hari Kishan said the tender for setting up a second CETP of 10.5 MLD capacity in the IMT sector has been released. The budget estimate of the new CETPs at Pratapgarh, Mirzapur and Badshahpur villages has also been submitted for approval.
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