Kumbh 2019: Sugar mills warned not to discharge effluents in Ganga basin

Weeks before the next crushing season kicks off, pollution watchdog Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Monday asked Uttar Pradesh sugar mills to ensure zero effluent discharge, especially in the Ganga Basin.

Of the 119 state-owned and private sugar mills in UP, 39 mills or roughly 35%, fall in the catchment of the river.

In a stern message, CPCB additional director Ajit Vidyarthi said in Lucknow since sugar industry was related to farmers, the mills were generally not ordered to shut down during the crushing season. Yet he warned of a hefty fine following a recent National Green Tribunal (NGT) order against defaulters.

“In its August 2018 directive, the NGT has mandated CPCB to impose ‘environmental compensation’ penalty of Rs 50,000 per day on factories flouting pollution norms across industries, including sugar,” he said addressing the sugar industry representatives here. The industry interaction was hosted by UP Sugar Mills Association (UPSMA) in run up to the 2018-19 crushing season.

Vidyarthi said the process of ensuring clean water for Kumbh Mela would start in December 2018 itself and the industries would be subjected to stringent routine and surprise inspections. The NGT had also ordered the constitution of a committee for the outstanding molasses inventory with the state sugar mills.

In the wake of Kumbh, the central and state agencies have raised the level of pollution control monitoring and checks for ensuring a cleaner Ganga. An estimated 120 million pilgrims and tourists are expected to congregate in Prayagraj during the two month long Hindu religious fest, which the government wants to brand internationally as a mega tourism event.

Meanwhile, UP cane commissioner Sanjay Bhoosreddy claimed there would be no effluent discharge by sugar mills in the Ganga Basin region, since all of them had effluent treatment plants (ETP).

Recently, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath had said central and state projects, including roads and urban development, totalling more than Rs 120 billion were underway in Prayagraj for Kumbh Mela 2019.

The Adityanath government had already ordered for the closure of all leather and tannery units in Kanpur between December 15 and March 15 for Kumbh. The closure, however, would also deprive the industry of arbitrage accruing from the devaluating Indian currency apart from impacting exports worth over Rs 40 billion, since the effective closure would be more than the mandated 3 months, since the units would have to be shut 10-15 days in advance to ensure there is zero discharge.

Under Namami Gange and National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), both the central and state have reiterated that Ganga must be set free of pollutants by 2022. Of the total projects worth Rs 200 billion under MNCG so far, the Centre has approved projects worth almost Rs 90 billion for UP alone.