Untreated waste: industries under the scanner

Of 1,729,294 come under large industries,160 under medium and 1,275 under small-scale industries. Of these,Mulshi,Maval,Khed and Junnar talukas together house the most number of large (109) and medium (52) scale industries. The industrial belt of Pimpri-Chinchwad has the maximum (316) small-scale industries that come under the red category. The industries that comes under this category are distillery,sugar,fertiliser,pulp,paper,pharmaceuticals,iron,steel,zinc,copper,aluminum and lead smelters.

P K Mirashe,regional officer,Maharashtra Pollution Control Board,said the board conducts routine checks in the industries and “strict” action is taken against those violating the pollution control norms. “As on March 2009,we had issued closure direction to 13 industries that have violated the pollution control norms. Another 23 industries in the region were issued proposed direction after they were found faulting the prescribed norms,” he said.

He said industries at the time of starting up as per the Prevention and Control of Pollution Act should have proper effluent treatment plant on its premises. “After the treatment,effluent shall be used for gardening and there shall be no discharge outside the factory premises. We keep a close watch on these norms and issue notices to violators,” he said.

For treatment of the hazardous waste produced in the region there is only one common hazardous waste treatment and disposal facility that is situated in Ranjangaon. Even as there are strict parameters in place,an insider in MPCB feels that there should be more field staff added to the existing staff to carry out proper monitoring mechanism. “There has been a steady rise in the number of industries operating the region. To monitor these industries,there should be an equal rise in the number of field staff,” he said.

PCMC health chief Nagkumar Kunachgi said the board earlier had taken the initiative to start an industrial effluent plant in its jurisdiction and sought support of the industries but dropped the idea due to lack of support. “Considering the number of industries present in the region,we have taken the initiative but did not get any support from them. Industries have their own effluent plant and it is the MPCB which has the right to take action against the errant industrial unit,” he said.

In Pimpri- Chichwad region,there are 147 industries that comes under “orange” category that are medium polluting industries. In Pune region,1,959 industries fall under the “orange” category. Of these,1,791 are small-scale industries,118 medium and 50 large-scale industries.