Mumbai: Nearly 32 industrial units in the state have been found to be violating pollution norms, according to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).
The Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) for these industries has not been working up to permissible capacity, due to which the untreated effluent is being released. A majority of these industries are in Thane, Raigad and Kolhapur.
At least three industries in Thane district have shown BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) and COD (chemical oxygen demand) which is beyond permissible levels, which indicates decreasing oxygen levels in the treated water.
In particular, the Ambernath CETP recorded a COD level of 800 mg/l, which is thrice the standard limit of 250 mg/l.
The CETP is close to the Ulhas river, which has been reeling under pollution.
“A committee will be formed to inspect the contamination by untreated waste in the Ulhas river. It will have members of both MPCB and CPCB. We will be inspecting both the Ambernath and Dombivali CETP for functional efficiency,” said a MPCB official.
A senior MPCB official said, “The overall number of industries with inefficient CETPs has decreased. We have issued notices to industrial units in Taloja as well, which were found to be violating pollution norms.”
Earlier in June, four errant industries in Taloja were shut down after MPCB action.
Following the National Green Tribunal’s directions earlier this month, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had asked state pollution bodies, including the MPCB, to take corrective against defaulters.
