Pollution control body pushes for stricter compliance of sewage treatment norms

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued notices to 184 towns, directing stricter compliance with environment protection laws and rules relating to municipal solid waste management.

CPCB stated municipal authorities have not given due attention to proper management of domestic sewage and municipal solid waste. Untreated sewage has found its way into water bodies. Continuous seepage of contaminated water into groundwater also led to increase in water-borne diseases, it said.

The pollution control body has directed that untreated sewage should not be disposed into the river, or at any other recipient body and local/urban bodies should set up sewage treatment plants (STPs) of adequate capacity and provide sewerage system to cover the entire inhabited areas.It also observed that out of a total 62,000 million litres of sewage generated in the country, the installed treatment capacity was 23, 277 million litres, or less than 30 per cent.

Similarly, based on information provided by various state pollution control boards, CPCB said it estimated that out of a total of 1,44, 000 metric tonnes of garbage generated, only 39, 000 metric tonnes was processed.