Textile unit polluting Jojari River: NGT

Textile industries operating in and around Jodhpur city are not following norms to check pollution, a recent report submitted a court commissioner to the National Green Tribunal, has revealed.

Industries discharging untreated effluents that are polluting the Jojari River should be closed until modifications are not made by the units at the common effluent treatment plant, the report submitted by the commissioner by the green tribunal, said.

The green tribunal was scheduled to hear on the report on Thursday, but the bench adjourned it until May 29.

The NGT had appointed Prof Ajit Pratap Singh of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, as court commissioner on March 16 to visit and inspect the sites in Jodhpur where the solid municipal waste, industrial effluent was being generated and discharged into the Jojari River.

Singh was asked to prepare a status report on the solid waste and effluents generated by the units and discharged into the river besides checking the number of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and common effluent treatment plants working or being established.

“The pollution in the Jojari River is mainly due to untreated and partially treated wastewater generated at the upstream of the river by industrial activities and domestic sewage,” the report said.

The factors responsible for the untreated and partially treated wastewater going directly to river was due to inefficient working of the common effluent treatment plant common at Jodhpur, it said.

Direct disposal of industrial wastewater from authorised and unauthorised industries and effect of industries at Barmer’s Balotra was adding to the pollution level of the river, the report said.

“The CETP at Jodhpur, managed by the Jodhpur Pradushan Niwaran Trust (JPNT) and member industries has completely failed to prevent illegal discharge of industrial wastewater by its member units.

“It seems the JPNT has no control on member units and it must inspect all member units to enforce all compliance requirements strictly,” the court commissioner said in the report.

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