(a) whether the Government have made the installation of effluent treatment plant compulsory for all the industrial units in the country;
(b) if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether due to non-functioning of the said plants in various industrial units in the country major rivers are being polluted; and
(d) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRI T. R. BAALU)
(a) & (b) All the industries are required to provide necessary facilities to treat their effluent to the prescribed standards.
(c) & (d) The steps taken by the Government to check pollution in major rivers in the country include the following :-
- Industries located on banks of rivers and or discharging wastewater through drains into rivers have been persuaded to set up requisite pollution control facilities to meet the discharge standards. Seventeen categories of heavily polluting industries have been identified for effective monitoring for abatement of pollution. Out of a total number of 1551 units belonging to the 17 categories of highly polluting industries, 1348 industries have already installed adequate facilities for pollution control to comply with the stipulated standards, 176 units have been closed down, whereas 27 units do not have adequate facilities to comply with the prescribed standards. Legal action has been taken by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the concerned State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) against the defaulting units.
- The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees are regularly monitoring the status of pollution control in the 17 categories of industries.
- Effluent and Emission Standards have been notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for about 80 categories of industries. Besides, standards for ambient air and water quality have also been notified. These standards need to be complied with by the industry.