By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JULY 01, 2015: THE Government has reiterated its commitment to take steps to mitigate pollution and has also sought public participation in its endeavours. Addressing a press conference on various measures undertaken for monitoring pollution here yesterday, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr Prakash Javadekar, said that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has started receiving online data on status of compliance on the discharge of effluents and emissions by the industry. Mr Javadekar said that out of 2,800 industries, more than 920 industries have installed 24x7 monitoring devices to monitor emissions and effluents. The Minister also said that another 400 industrial units have moved towards ensuring Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD).

New industrial units in the fields of distillery, textile, tannery, chemicals, fertiliser, pesticides, dyes and pharmaceutical will have to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge in a time-bound manner. The industrial units will have to install web-cameras, instead of Continuous Effluent Monitoring Devices (CETPs). The CETPs will be monitored 24x7 through devices installed at both, inlets and outlets.

Mr Javadekar emphasised that the cleaning of Ganga is a top priority. There are 630 industries, including 440 tanneries which are of a highly polluting nature along the stem of river Ganga. The effluents of the tanneries are treated at three major CETPs at Kanpur, Banthar and Unnao. Out of the remaining 190 units, 110 units have moved towards compliance. A complete upgradation of these CETPs has been planned to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge. The Centre extends 50% subsidy to these CETPs and the remaining amount is met by the State Government and the industry. Directions have been issued for closure of some non-complying polluting units. Mr Javadekar said that 64 units had been closed down last year, out of which 24 units were allowed to resume operations after they set up the requisite system.

A pilot phase for sending an SMS alert to polluting units that cross prescribed levels for more than 15 minutes, has been started. State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) have also been asked to gear up to handle sets of data that will be required to be analysed on a real-time basis.