(a) whether his Ministry has sponsored an international seminar in Hyderabad on combined waste water treatment during March, 2000;
(b) if so, the salient features of views expressed on waste water management and regulatory aspects; and
(c) the measures proposed to implement the views?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI BABU LAL MARANDI)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) The salient features of the views expressed on waste water management and regulatory aspects are outlined below:
- There should be concerted efforts to set up combined waste water treatment plants instead of the common effluent treatment plants as the addition of sewage to the industrial waste water improves overall treatability.
- All efforts should be made to construct/strengthen the terminal waste water treatment facility to meet the required disposal standards. The sharing of capital cost and the cost of treatment at such facilities could be on equitable basis between the municipality and industry.
- All efforts should be made to recycle and reuse the treated waste waters at the industry/terminal treatment stage.
- In plant controls and cleaner technologies of production leading to waste minimisation should be encouraged through incentives/disincentives.
- Concentration of total dissolved solids in waste water is a serious problem and requires to be addressed in depth.
- The regulatory agencies should initiate investigative studies to assess the effect of the treated effluent on the receiving environment.
(c) The aim of the seminar was to facilitate exchange of views and experience and create better awareness in regard to combined waste water treatment among the participants which would ultimately help in implementation.