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It is intimated that the industry is a large scale red category dyeing unit. The industry was granted consent to operate under Air Act, 1981 vide no. CTOA/Renewal/LDH2/2022/19304000 dated 22/08/2022 valid upto 31/03/2025 & under Water Act, 1981 vide no. CTOW/Renewal/LDH2/2023/21256580 dated 06/04/2023 valid upto 31/03/2024 with suitable and special condition that the industry shall take adequate steps to stop discharging its industrial effluent into Municipal sewer, Ludhiana by 31.03.2024.
Brief History
A meeting was earlier taken by Sh. Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Hon’ble Minister Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Govt. of Punjab on 19.10.2022 with the delegation of the Large scale dyeing units of Ludhiana for segregation of industrial effluents discharged into municipal sewer of Ludhiana in-compliance of directions u/s 5 of EPA, 1986 issued by the Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Govt. of Punjab vide order dated 10.10.2019 wherein it was decided that :-
‘All the Large Scale Dyeing units discharging their effluent into municipal sewer, Ludhiana shall take adequate steps to stop discharging their industries effluent into Municipal sewer, Ludhiana by 31.03.2024’
The industry was a large scale unit and was part of the committee representing large scale dyeing unit in the above mentioned meeting taken by Hon’ble Environment Minister
Earlier, the site of industry was visited by the EE and AEE of this office on 22.04.2023 and it was observed as under :-
1. The industry was in operation during visit and is engaged in the process of dyeing.
2. The industry has installed 2 machines of capacity @ 500 kg of fiber dyeing, 1 machine @ 300 kg for top dyeing and 2 machine @ 200 kg each for top dyeing, 2 soft flow machines @ 500 kg each and 1 soft flow machine @ 200 kg, 2 machines of Hang dyeing @ 2500, and 1 machine of cone dyeing @ 1000 kg, 1 cone dyeing machine @ 500 kg, 1 cone dyeing machine @ 200 kg, 1 cone dyeing machine @ 100 kg, 2 cone dyeing machine @ 50 kg each, 1 cone dyeing machine @ 25 kg.
3. The industry has installed ETP based on physico chemical followed by biological treatment for the trade effluent generated during dyeing process. The industry has provided Ultra filtration (UF) @ 1200 KLD after ETP. The UF treated effluent is being further treated to RO –I & II. The RO permeate from these 2 ROs is reutilized back in the process and RO reject is treated in third RO of capacity 300 KLD. The RO permeate generated from this third RO is being reused back in the process.
4. The industry has not installed the MEE/MVR for achievement of complete ZLD system till date and around 80-90 KLD of treated effluent after UF is still being discharged into sewer. Further, the RO reject generated from the RO-III is being again sent to collection tank in the absence of MEE / MVR system
5. Treated effluent sample after UF system discharging into sewer (approx. 80-90 KLD) was collected and sent to Patiala Lab for analysis.
6. The housekeeping of the industry is poor.
Thereafter on account of non-achivement of ZLD system and on account of violations as detailed above, the industry was given personal hearing before the Chairman of the Board on 16.06.2023 and after hearing it was decided as under :-
1. The industry shall comply with all the violations stated as above, immediately.
2. The industry shall continue to operate its pollution control devices regularly and efficiently so as to achieve the prescribed standards.
3. The industry shall complete and commission the upgraded effluent treatment plant so as to achieve zero liquid discharge, by 31.03.2024.
4. The industry shall submit action plan alongwith PERT Chart for the installation and commissioning of ZLD Plant, within 15 days.
5. The industry shall submit a Bank Guarantee of Rs. 10 lacs, within 15 days, as assurance that the upgraded ETP based on ZLD technology will be installed and commissioned by 31.03.2024.
6. On best assessment and judgement, the industry shall deposit Rs. 5.0 lacs, to the Environmental Engineer, Regional Office-2, Ludhiana, within 15 days as Environmental Compensation for the damage caused to the Environment.
7. The Environmental Engineer, Regional Office-1, Ludhiana shall visit the industry to monitor compliance as above and to submit report accordingly after 15 days for further action in the matter.
The proceedings of the hearing were conveyed to the industry vide letter no. 3525 dated 10.07.2023, wherein amongst other decisions, the industry was directed to submit bank guarantee of Rs. 10.00 as an assurance to adopt ZLD system and environmental compensation of Rs. 5.0 Lacs for the damaged caused to the Environment.
The industry challenged the above orders by filing an appeal before the Hon’ble Secretary, Department of Environment and Science. The appeal has been disposed off by Worthy SSTE vide order dated 05.09.2023 (copy enclosed- the orders could not be traced earlier), the operating part of which is as under :-
“After consideration of the facts of the case, it is observed that when time upto 31.03.2024 has already been given to the appellant industry for upgradation of effluent treatment plant to achieve zero liquid discharge and the representative of the industry has narrated the steps taken and being taken by the industry to achieve zero liquid discharge, then levy of environmental compensation for non-submission of PERT chart is not a fair reason and is not justified.
In view of the findings and observations recorded herein above, I hereby remand the case to the Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board with direction to pass fresh order after considering all the relevant facts and affording an opportunity of hearing to the appellant within one month form the date of receipt of the order”
In view of above, it was recommended that an opportunity of hearing before Hon’ble Chairman of the Board may be given to the industry in compliance to the above orders vide e-noting no. 21700770.
Now, the industry has applied for renewal of consent to operate under Water Act, 1974 through online system.
The site of industry was visited by the EE along with AEE of this office on 04.06.2024 and it was observed as under :-
1. The industry was in operation during visit and is engaged in the process of dyeing.
2. The industry has installed 2 machines of capacity @ 500 kg of fiber dyeing, 1 machine @ 300 kg for top dyeing and 2 machine @ 200 kg each for top dyeing, 2 soft flow machines @ 500 kg each and 1 soft flow machine @ 200 kg, 2 machines of Hang dyeing @ 2500, and 1 machine of cone dyeing @ 1000 kg, 1 cone dyeing machine @ 500 kg, 1 cone dyeing machine @ 200 kg, 1 cone dyeing machine @ 100 kg, 2 cone dyeing machine @ 50 kg each, 1 cone dyeing machine @ 25 kg.
3. The industry has installed ETP based on physico chemical followed by biological treatment for the trade effluent generated during dyeing process. The industry has provided Ultra filtration (UF) @ 1200 KLD after ETP. The UF treated effluent is being further treated to RO –I & II of capacity 500 KLD each. Presently the RO permeate from these 2 ROs is reutilized back in the process and RO reject is being used in third RO and rest of RO reject being discharged in the collection tank of the existing ETP.
4. To treat the RO reject generated from RO-1 and 2 the industry has now completed the installation and operationalized the third RO of capacity 300 KLD which was earlier proposed by the unit. The RO permeate generated from this third RO is being reused back in the process and for treatment of RO reject from this RO, the proposal to install mechanical vapor recompression (MVR/MEE) of capacity 50 KLD to achieve complete ZLD system is under way and negotiations are in progress as per the representation submitted by the industry.
5. As such the industry is moving towards achievement of full ZLD system.
6. The industry is maintaining the record of operation of ETP.
Submitted for consideration in the light of above mentioned facts for final decision w.r.t. consent to operate as well as compliance to the decisions of the personal hearing and orders of the Appellate Authority thereof, please.
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