The Environment Ministry has notified stricter environment standards for sugar industries operating across the country with the aim to minimise water pollution.
According to the notification, waste water discharge standards have been made stricter, by limiting the same to 200 litre per tonne of crushed cane, as against the earlier limit of 400 litre per tonne of the same. This will ultimately result in less consumption of raw water at operational level.
The final treated effluent discharge has been restricted to 100 litre per tonne of crushed cane and waste water from spray pond overflow. Only single outlet point from unit has been allowed for operational efficiency and treated effluent recycling practices. Further, only one outlet/ discharge point will be allowed, which will be covered as per the 24x7 online monitoring protocol.
There will henceforth be six effluent quality parameters which will be monitored for ascertaining compliance. These include, pH balance, Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Total Suspended Solids, Total Dissolved Solids besides Oil & Grease. Earlier, the notified parameters were only Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand and Total Suspended Solids. The emission limits for particulate matter from stack has been limited to 150 mg/cubic meter.
The notified standards also contain a protocol for Treated Effluent Irrigation, besides Wastewater conservation and pollution control management. The waste water conservation and pollution control management mandates the individual units to establish cooling arrangement and polishing tank for recycling excess condensate water to process sections, or utilities, or allied units.
The Effluent Treatment Plant will also be stabilised one month prior to the start of crushing season and will continue to operate up to one month after the end of crushing season.
The protocol has also made it obligatory for the industry to install flow-meters at all water abstraction points so that fresh water usage can be minimised. Further, the industrial units have been permitted to store treated effluent in a seepage proof lined pond, having 15 days holding capacity.
The revised standards also help the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) in implementing specific measures to be adopted in sugar industries. These include reducing consumption of fresh water usage, checking operational efficiency and enhancing compliance.