Faced with the closure threat from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), Bharuch Eco Aqua Infrastructure Limited (BEAIL) seems to be taking up measures to come clean. BEAIL is doing so by attempting to bring down the noise pollution and water pollution at its Final Effluent Treatment Plant (FETP) at Ankleshwar within the permissible limits prescribed by the regulator.
The Gujarat High Court has set the deadline of June 23, 2011 for bringing down the pollution levels at FETP to the legally permissible limits. On its part, BEAIL, which is now called Narmada Clean Tech Limited (NCTL) plans to make additional investment of around Rs 2 crore to meet the GPCB norms.
"We are making all efforts to meet the changed norms the GPCB. However, as it is highly technology-driven process an overnight change is not possible. But we are hopeful to meet the required pollution levels before the deadline of June 23," said KR Desai, chief executive officer, BEAIL.
Last month on May 2, the Gujarat High Court had asked the FETP at Ankleshwar owned by BEAIL to cut down air, noise and water pollution with immediate effect, failing to which the plant would face a shut down. The court had set a deadline of June 23 for the same, an action prompted by a petition filed by the local farmers in Gujarat High Court last year. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for June 23.
According to senior government officials, the FETP at Ankleshwar seemed to be taking measures to meet the environment norms set by the state pollution regulator, GPCB.
The FETP has a capacity of 40 million litres per day (MLD) and releases treated effluents in to the deep sea after collecting it from over 1,000 chemical units. "The GPCB has made changes to the pollution norms from 2010 onwards. Under these changed norms, the noise pollution limit is reduced from 75 db in day time and 70 db in night to 55 db in day time and 45 db in night," said Desai.
Further, the pollution norms for chemical oxygen demand (COD) were also changed from from 500 milligrams per litre earlier to 250 milligram per litre now.
The FETP plant was set up in 2006 with a cost of around Rs 131 crore. While the state government body, Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) holds 51 per cent in the company, 17 per cent is held by local member industries and remaining is held by the central government.