The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to take steps to prevent release of treated wastewater from a proposed Sewage Treatment Plant in Kalol to Thol Lake.
A three-member principal bench of the tribunal ordered GPCB to take further actions with respect to the recommendations of an NGT-constituted committee that suggested against the discharge of treated wastewater into the Ramsar-designated protected wetland.
Disposing of the proceedings, the NGT bench, in its order dated July 8, observed, “…let the state PCB take further action in terms of the recommendations by preventing discharge of sewage waste into the lake, including bypassing the flow of the wastewater and to utilise the treated water and to construct the guard pond.”
The order further left it to the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to utilise the wastewater through the industrial units in the region “against appropriate charges which may be used for restoration of the lake”. “The use of fresh water for industrial purposes may be controlled/regulated having regard to the fact that there is scarcity of potable water in the area. Quality of the lake may be maintained as per norms,” the panel directed.
The order comes following a report by the joint committee that said treated wastewater should not be allowed to discharge directly or indirectly into Thol Lake and its eco-sensitive zone. The panel had recommended that other options to provide dedicated irrigation canals “bypassing Thol Lake and without affecting the whole bird sanctuary, eco-sensitive zone and reuse of treated sewage in the nearby industries” should be explored.
“Guard pond-cum-distribution pond with OCEMS (Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring System) and regular manual monitoring should be provided for treated sewage from the proposed STP and treated sewage may be utilised based on requirements for irrigation and industrial purposes,” the report said.
Some of the options identified by the joint committee and the sub-committee include utilisation of the treated wastewater in the garden area of Kalol municipality, for use by GIDC-Kalol that houses 180 industries, utilisation by other industries such as Arvind Limited at Santej and Bharat Vijay Mill at Kalol, along with utilisation by the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), Kalol unit, if the treated wastewater quality is found to be feasible for its utilisation.
With respect to re-utilising the treated wastewater from the proposed plant, the committee has also noted that “Kalol Nagarpalika shall publish/advertise for Expression of Interest (EoI)”. It suggested that its recommendations should be taken into consideration by GPCB while considering the application of consent to establish/operate for the Kalol STP.
The joint committee was constituted following an order by the NGT principal bench in March after The Indian Express reported on March 19 that Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (wildlife) and the Chief Wildlife Warden of Gujarat had approved the discharge of treated wastewater from the STP to Thol lake.
Among the richest wetlands of the state, Thol Lake was constructed in 1912 as an irrigation tank with a catchment area of 155 square kms. However, it has now turned into an important wildlife habitat, especially for waterbirds, including dozens of species of international migratory birds as it falls on the Central Asian Flyway.