Home / Environment / Toxic Dye Discharge Halted: Punjab Units Under Review
Toxic Dye Discharge Halted: Punjab Units Under Review
15 Jan
Summary
- 54 dyeing units ordered to adopt Zero Liquid Discharge or relocate.
- STPs overwhelmed by untreated industrial waste, polluting Buddha Dariya.
- Water quality of Buddha Dariya shows marked improvement in the last year.
The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) is conducting a thorough review of the city's dyeing units, a critical move following the December deadline to cease toxic industrial waste discharge into the sewage system. For years, untreated effluent from these operations has compromised municipal sewage treatment plants and severely polluted the Buddha Dariya river.
As a stringent ultimatum, 54 identified units were mandated to either adopt Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technology or relocate outside city limits. Industry is beginning to fragment under these environmental mandates, with the transition of 11 large-scale and 43 small-scale units progressing at varied paces. Significant enforcement measures, including CCTV surveillance for waste transport monitoring, are being implemented to ensure compliance.
Despite the ongoing challenges, integrated efforts across departments show promising results for the Buddha Dariya. Water quality testing indicates a marked improvement over the past year, fostering optimism that ZLD technology and stricter oversight will safeguard Punjab's water resources.
