Palghar: After the discharge of polluted effluent was pictured by the Coast Guard patrolling helicopter Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) sent a show-cause notice to the concerned agencies which were involved in this act. A violet-coloured effluent was pictured being discharged some 500 meters from the coast of Navapur.
A Coast Guard helicopter on patrol had noticed a large quantity of sewage being discharged into the sea near Navapur coast in Palghar taluka on December 24. The crew of the helicopter filmed the video as they suspected that this could be a leakage in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) effluent discharge pipeline. The crew alerted the District Disaster Management Group and the resident District Collector of Palghar. FPJ had printed this news prominently.
This video went viral on social media and there were repercussions in civil society. The MPCB and MIDC officials visited the site and the site of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP). The officials had found major irregularities and had issued a show cause closure notice to members of the Tarapur Environment Protection Society (TEPS) and thereby stopping the discharge of effluent from the industries attached to TEPS.
CETP operations are covered by the Water & Air pollution prevention area declared under the Water (P&CP) Act, 1974 Air (P&CP) Act, 1981 and Hazardous & other wastes (M&TM) Rules, 2016. MPCB has granted conditional consent to operate for new Common Effluent Treatment Plant (25 MLD out of 50 MLD capacity) at Plot No: OS-30, MIDC, Tarapur subject to certain terms and conditions including maintaining and operating it properly to achieve the standards prescribed in consent order dated Feb 22 2021.
It is obligatory on the part of TEPS to comply with the conditions and provide necessary water & air pollution control devices and operate the same continuously and efficiently to meet the prescribed standards by the Board at all times. But TEPS was found not abiding by the consent conditions.
The MPCB has asked for an explanation of the points:
1) Why Environmental Compensation Charges (ECC) for the discharge of substandard effluent shall not be levied on TEPS
2) Why Environmental Compensation Charges (ECC) for violation of the provision of Hazardous waste (M & TM) Rules, 2016 for the storage of sludge (Hazardous waste) for more than 90-days and more than 10 tonnes shall not be levied on TEPS?
3) Considering your failure to even provide basic treatment chemicals for the smooth operation of CETP is gross negligence and why prosecution shall not be initiated against TEPS as per relevant acts?
4) Why your CETP shall not be closed and all the member industries shall be directed to stop discharge?
Environmental Restoration of about Rs 280 crores had been levied against some 99 industries and TEPS by National Green Tribunal in January 2022.
This new show causes notice if unanswered in a satisfactory manner will lead to the closure of all units connected to TEPS as will be directed by MPCB. The fishermen's community is satisfied with the prompt cognizance taken by MPCB. The show cause notice was issued by R.B. Andhale, the Regional Officer of MPCB Thane.
