Question : STANDARDS FOR TREATMENT OF EFFLUENTS

(a) whether the Government/Central Pollution Control Board monitors the compliance of National standards stipulated for treatment of effluents by industrial units;

(b) if so, the details and the outcome thereof during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c) whether several polluting units have been closed down due to non-compliance of the said standards;

(d) if so, the details thereof during the said period, State-wise; and

(e) the assistance, in terms of financial and technological knowhow provided to the States in this regard during the said period, State-wise?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARAS (A) TO (E) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 326 DUE FOR REPLY ON 16.12.2014 REGARDING STANDARDS FOR TREATMENT OF EFFLUENTS BY SHRI P. NAGARAJAN AND DR. K. KAMARAJ.

(a)to(d) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under its Environmental Surveillance Squad (ESS) programme conducts surprise monitoring to check compliance of 17 categories of highly polluting industries. Under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, sector specific standards for treatment of industrial effluents have been stipulated. During the last three years and the current year, CPCB has inspected 776 no. of industries in different States for monitoring their compliance to the prescribed standards. Based on the field inspections, CPCB has issued directions under Section 5 of E (P)A, 1986 and under Section 18(1)(b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, through the concerned State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) for securing compliance by industries. The non-compliant industries are also directed to deposit bank guarantees to ensure compliance to the directions issued to them and in case of non compliance, such bank guarantees are forfeited.

The Statewise Number of industries inspected under ESS and Directions issued under Section 5 of E(P)A, 1986 and Sec 18(1)(b) of Water and Air Acts during 2011-2015 (till Nov 2014) and directions issued for closure to 29 industries are given at Annexure-I &II respectively.

(e) 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 industrial effluents. The CETPs are designed to treat waste generated from various industrial clusters. The scheme seeks to enable the Small Scale Industries (SSI) to set up new CETPs and upgrade the existing CETPs. During the last 3 years and current financial year, CETPs have been supported by the Ministry in the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra as given at Annexure-III. The zero liquid discharge technology is being encouraged by the Government to be adopted by the industry for the purpose of prevention and control of water pollution.