77 polluting units in Kanpur region issued closure notice: Minister

A total of 77 Gross Polluting Industries (GPIs) were issued closure directions between January and May this year in Kanpur region for violating environmental norms, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

The industries, including many tanneries and drains, were responsible for polluting the river Ganga, Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Vijay Goel told the Upper House.

Goel also said that, in all, 400 tanneries units were operating in the Kanpur region.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report, there are over 1,000 Seriously Polluting Industries (SPI) and 30 storm water drains lining the Ganga in the stretch between Haridwar and Kanpur and over 800 million litre per day (MLD) of untreated sewage was being poured into it.

"Out of these 400 tanneries, 386 were inspected in the Kanpur region during January-May 2017 and 77 GPIs were issued closure directions under Section 5 of the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986, for non-compliance of discharge standards and non-installation of Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring Systems (OCEMS)," the minister said in reply to a question.

The minister said that 118 out of 386 tanneries inspected were found complying with the discharge norms as well as OCEMS connectivity.

He added that in addition to the regulatory actions, other measures were also being contemplated to reduce pollution from these tanneries.

"These measures include in-process improvement, setting up of a Common Effluent Treatment Plant based on Zero Liquid Discharge principle and shifting of tanneries to another suitable location," he said.

The minister also informed that a task force had been constituted under the Chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment, Government of Uttar Pradesh, to study the feasibility of shifting the tanneries at Jajmau, Kanpur to another location.

There are over 35 distillery, 442 tannery, 63 textile, 67 pulp and paper, and 28 Chemical units along the stretch of river Ganga between Haridwar and Kanpur.

--IANS

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