Gurgaon: Closure notice to nine dyeing units for polluting pond

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) officials collected samples of the water discharged by the dyeing units and were not satisfied by the results

The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) on Saturday sent closure notices to nine dyeing units in Sarai Alawardi village for violating pollution control norms. The board allegedly found these dyeing and washing units polluting the pond located in the area.

The pollution watchdog is concerned over the dumping of waste and effluents in the city’s water bodies. (FILE PHOTO)

The board collected samples of the water discharged from various units and carried out a lab examination, the results of which were not satisfactory. The nine units also did not have sewage treatment plants (STP) and were hence issued notices.

The board had conducted a survey in the area to monitor polluting units and see whether they were following the new STP standards devised keeping in mind the global standards of treating effluent discharge by STPs into water bodies.

“We conducted an inspection of 20 dyeing units, of which nine were found violating norms. They were discharging untreated effluents into the water body,” said Shakti Singh, assistant environment engineer, HSPCB.

The new norms, notified last year in November, require installation of modern filtration systems that ensure zero-bacteria discharge into rivers and ponds, preventing damage to the ecosystem of water bodies.

“We will conduct more such inspections in the city this month. We have identified spots from where we have received many complaints regarding industrial units flouting norms. Strict action will be taken against them,” said JB Sharma, regional officer, HSPCB.

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In January, the department had also slapped notices on 20 restaurants and hotels located in Sector 29 for dumping untreated sewage into drains.

According to an environment ministry notification of 2016, food joints and banquet halls have to set up wastewater treatment facilities to recycle the water.

It had been observed that a majority of food joints in the city did not adhere to environmental norms and would discharge effluents into the sewerage system, which contaminates the groundwater, according to officials of the pollution control department.