Rs 112 Crore CETP Plant Shutdown: GPCB Warns 700 Factories in Dhanilimba-Behrampura to Comply

Closure of Hand Screen Printing Factories and CETP Plant

Background

Following serious remarks by the Gujarat High Court regarding the discharge of chemical-laden and polluted water into the Sabarmati River, over 700 hand screen printing factories in Behrampura, Ahmedabad, were shut down. To address this issue and resume operations, BJP and AIMIM leaders collaborated to construct a Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) at a cost of ₹112 crore. However, the plant has been shut down by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) within just 10 months of operation.

Issues Identified by GPCB

• Operational Irregularities: GPCB inspections over the last two months revealed significant irregularities in the plant’s operations.
• Lack of Documentation: There was no maintenance of an operational logbook for the CETP.
• Excessive Pollutant Discharge: More than 600 factories were discharging excessive polluted water into the treatment plant.
• Non-functional Tertiary Treatment Plant: The tertiary treatment unit of the CETP was not operational.
• Waste Accumulation: Large amounts of waste were found in open plots near the plant.

GPCB Actions

• Plant Closure: Due to these issues, GPCB ordered the shutdown of the CETP plant.
• Strict Instructions: Factories have been instructed not to discharge any water into the plant.
• Continuous Monitoring: The GPCB emphasized the need for continuous monitoring to ensure compliance and prevent any factory from discharging water into the CETP.
• Compliance with Standards: The CETP must ensure that the water discharged meets the specified standards at the outlet.

This sequence of events underscores the ongoing challenges in managing industrial pollution and the importance of strict regulatory oversight to protect the environment.

Closure of Overcapacity Effluent Treatment Plant

Background

Over 700 factories around Dani Limda-Behrampura, shut down by the Gujarat High Court for polluting the Sabarmati River, were allowed to resume operations after the construction of a new Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP). This plant was built at a cost of ₹112 crore with 30% funding from the state government, 50% from the central government, and 20% from the Ahmedabad Hand Screen Printing Association. The plant, initiated by BJP in-charge Dharmendra Shah and AIMIM leader Sabir Kabliwala, started operating in September 2023. However, due to factories discharging more wastewater than the plant’s capacity, the CETP was forced to shut down.

Issues Leading to Shutdown

• Excessive Wastewater Discharge: Factories were discharging more polluted water than the CETP could handle.
• Non-compliance with Standards: Despite directives from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to maintain standards, the plant failed to do so.

Statements from Stakeholders

• Ahmedabad Hand Screen Printing Association President Arifbhai Pomchawala: In a conversation with Divya Bhaskar, Pomchawala stated that the GPCB issued a notice to shut down the CETP. The association aims to meet the standards set by GPCB within a few days. They are addressing issues with high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels and attempting to solve the Total Suspended Solids (TSS) problem. Although the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is the nodal agency for the plant, the association seeks more direct control over operations.
• AMC and GPCB: Pomchawala mentioned plans to meet with AMC officials to discuss why the plant’s standards were not maintained despite clear guidelines from GPCB over the past two months.

This situation highlights the challenges in managing industrial wastewater and the need for stringent adherence to environmental standards to prevent pollution and ensure sustainable industrial operations.

Installation of SCADA Meters for Factory Owners

Background

A year ago, AIMIM leader Sabir Kabliwala worked hard to reopen over 600 factories in the Dani Limda and Behrampura areas. Collaborating with BJP leader and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in-charge Dharmendra Shah, they successfully initiated the new CETP plant. However, Kabliwala now appears to be taking a stance against the factory owners.

Current Measures

In a conversation with Divya Bhaskar, Sabir Kabliwala stated that the factory owners were discharging more wastewater than the CETP’s designed capacity. To address this, factory owners have been instructed to install SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) meters. Additionally, another pipeline will be installed where these meters will be placed to ensure that wastewater discharge complies with the prescribed norms and standards.

Actions Taken

• SCADA Meter Installation: Factory owners are required to install these meters to monitor and control the amount of wastewater discharged.
• New Pipeline Installation: An additional pipeline will be set up, equipped with meters, to facilitate controlled and compliant wastewater discharge.

These measures aim to regulate the wastewater discharge from the factories, ensuring it remains within the treatment plant’s capacity and adheres to environmental standards.