Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Discharge of industrial waste into the rivers, 07/01/2019. As per the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 industrial units are required to install effluent treatment plants(ETPs) and to treat their effluents to comply the stipulated environmental standard before discharging it into any water bodies. According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), there are 2743 Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) in the country discharging their effluents into various water bodies, including rivers. Of these GPIs 2497 industrial units are operating and 246 industrial units are self-closed. The number of complying and noncomplying industrial units is 2222 and 275 respectively. Issuing directions by CPCB to the non-complying industrial units is an ongoing process. Show-cause notices and closure directions have been issued by CPCB to 74 and 143 noncomplying industrial units respectively. Legal cases have also been filed against 3 industrial units. State-wise status of GPI units in the country is at Annexure-I. State-wise number of industrial inspection carried out and directions issued is attached as Annexure-II.
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