The Hindu Business Line : YSR's assurance on industry status for effluent treatment

RESPONDING positively to the plea of the common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) for conferring industrial status for the sector, the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, assured the industrialists managing CETPs that the State would take up the matter with the Centre.

Dr Reddy was addressing the industry representatives at the inaugural session of the National Seminar on "Relevance of Common Effluent Treatment Plants for Environment Protection" here on Wednesday.

Viewing that the industrial pollution, especially from the increasing number of chemical and pharmaceutical units, has been on the rise in the recent past, the Chief Minister stressed the need for setting up more number of CETPs in the industrial estates.

He also preferred setting up of CETPs in the industrial estates before the industrial activity took off instead of the existing practice of establishing CETPs after the production has begun.

Highlighting the seriousness of industrial pollution from the chemical units, he cited the recent verdict of the Supreme Court that ordered closure of 270 chemicals and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities across the country, of which 92 were located in Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister advised the pollution control boards and non-governmental organisations to play a key role in supervising the activities of the CETPs. The pollution control boards should become more proactive in checking the industrial pollution, he said.

The Managing Director of Jeedimetla Effluent Treatment Ltd (JETL), Mr G.K.B. Chowdary, submitted to the Government the need to change the regulations for those CETPs that have transformed into Combined Wastewater Treatment Plants by taking up the treatment of sewerage water as well.

According to the Chairman of Patancheru Enviro Tech Ltd (PETL), Dr D.R. Rao, the pharma industry often finds itself in the crossfire between the Government and various regulators.

On one side, it continuously strived to produce high quality medicines that promote health and on the other side has the responsibility to curtail waste generation and protect the environment.

Viewing that environment protection was a global issue and was not limited to a specific zone or country, Dr Rao said the challenge of going forward would be to exploit the country's assets to the fullest extent and at the same time protect the environment.

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