-SATISH HANDA
Hundreds of dyeing units mushrooming at textile hub Panipat are spreading huge pollution causing threat to the life of more than 500,000 residents in the town. On the direction of National Green Tribunal (NGT), Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) served notices to seven industrial units at Panipat, which include BSP International, B.K. Gas, Grover International, Jai Jyoti Industries at Asan Kalan, Maa Banbhori International, Vaibhav Exports at Asan Khurd, Birmi Impex Pvt Ltd at Brahm Kumari all manufacturing bed sheets, blankets and other textile materials. These firms were found extracting underground water without obtaining permission from Central Ground Water Agency (CGWA) but in the absence of action against notices two manufacturing units were fined amount nearly Rs 20 lakh, which included BSB International since there was no ultra filtration unit installed after ETP and RO installed in the factory was not in working order as such HSPCB imposed Rs 4.25 lakh fine on this unit, whereas another industrial unit B.K. Gas working since year 2005 was also fined Rs 15.46 lakh because of no permission as well as no objection certificate (NOC) was obtained by this firm from CGWA as well as HSPCB in spite of notice dated April 23 this year.
On a complaint that large number of dyeing units at Asan Kalan and Asan Khurd area are illegally extracting underground water and spreading pollution in the area causing severe harm to health of nearly 500,000 residents in the town with increasing cases of tuberculosis and gastro-intestine raids were conducted by teams of HSPCB. According to RTI information, only four dyeing units out of total number of more than 400 units were found extracting underground water after having permissioin from CGWA and others were extracting underground water illegally without obtaining permission, NOC from Central Ground Water Authority and HSPCB. Most of the units were seen throwing polluted waste water in open or drains in the area posing a threat to the life of residents in the area, as told by Anil Kumar an advocate.
HSPCB Regional Officer R.K. Dahiya as well as officers of National Green Tribunal expressing dis-satisfaction over industry at Panipat spreading pollution said that there are nearly 400 registered dyeing units at Panipat, of them nearly 90% units are located at Sector 29, Sector 25, Old Industrial Area, Tehsil Camp, Jatal Road, and Sunoli Road spreading pollution in the town, besides large number of tiny dyeing units are mushrooming in the thickly populated residential areas in the town disposing of waste polluted wastes water in open or drains without installation of an effluent treatment plant. According to HSPCB officials, most of the units are illegally extracting daily more than 70 million litre (MLD) underground water without obtaining permission from Central Ground Water Agency, which include nearly 40 MLD water extracted from industrial units situated in Sector 29 having maximum number of dyeing units. Bhim Rana president of Panipat Dyeing Association said, there is a provision of canal water for dyeing units in Sector 29 but since construction of drain is going on the owners of dyeing units are compelled to extract underground water.
