WASHERY effluents containing very high quantities of coalfine parlicles are the main pollutant in the Damodar river. But preventing, or even curbing, this form of pollution is hampered because a lucrative trade has sprung up along the route of the effluent discharge.

Effluents with high levels of total suspended solids (TSS) are treated by allowing the particles to settle in ponds. The solids are supposed to be extracted manually and only water with acceptable TSS levels is supposed to be discharged. In reality, however, not much coalfine settles down in the ponds and the water that goes out has high TSS levels. This occurs because all the coal dust has not been allowed to settle or because retrieval is inadequate,

As the effluents flow from the washery ponds to the river, they invariably pass through private land, where several "interceptor" ponds have been set up by people who collect the coal particles, mix them with mud or and make briquettes -blocks of compressed coal dust used as fuel. The discharge passes through several such ponds, and the calorific value of the briquettes decreases at each stage. However, even the effluents that finally reach the river are so rich in coal particles that poor people make briquettes out of a mix of coalfine A numbe and sand from the river havebed.

The price of the briquettes depends on the amount of coal dust in it. Local people contend the total volume of trade runs into crores of rupees. Needless to say, the fabled coal mafia and local politicians are actively involved in this business. Within the vicinity of the coal washers, it is the local big wigs who make money, while the poor get to make only low-quality briquettes from the river bed.

CIL officials agree it may be difficult to attain a zero discharge level from the washeries because of the vested interests who want rich coal slurry to flow out. Officials also do not rule out the possibility of the coal mafia colluding with CIL employees, who deliberately discharge coal slurry out of fear or favour.