(a) whether the Government has set up Effluent Treatment Plants in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether sufficient capacity is available in such plants for the treatment of hazardous industrial waste and if so, the details thereof along with the funds allocated for the purpose, State/UT-wise; and
(c) the other steps taken/being taken to treat hazardous effluents for bringing down water/air pollution?
MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 415 due for reply on 23.03.2018 regarding ‘Effluent Treatment Plants'' by Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: Shri Shivkumar Udasi, Hon''ble Members of Parliament.
(a) A Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) is under implementation in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for treatment of waste effluents. The scheme seeks to enable the small scale industries (SSI) set up new CETPs and upgrade the existing CETPs. During the last 5 years, CETPs have been supported by the Ministry in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab and Rajasthan.
(b) According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), there are 193 Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) operational for treatment of industrial effluent across the country with a total hydraulic loading of 1474 Million Litres per Day (MLD). The State / UT-wise list of CETPs is presented in Annexure-I. Besides, there are 18 integrated Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities, 10 Common Incinerators and 14 Common Secured Landfill facilities for treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste.
Government funding for industrial effluent treatment is available only to CETPs. State / UT- wise details of the funds released during the last three years and current year under above CETP scheme are given at Annexure - II.
(c) The steps which have been taken to treat hazardous effluents for bringing down water/ air pollution inter alia include i) development of stringent specific standards for discharge of effluent from industrial sectors; ii) notification of effluent discharge standards under Schedule 1 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 and General Standards for discharge of environmental pollutants under Schedule 6 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 applicable for the industrial sectors not having specific standards; iii) development of charter for various industrial sectors such as Charter for Water Recycling and Pollution Prevention in Pulp and Paper industry in Ganga river basin and Charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environmental Protection for 17 categories of industries iv) adoption of cleaner technologies and v) issuance of directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to industries and under Section 18(1)(b) of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 which include environmentally sound disposal of waste.
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