Industries get fly ash directive

RANCHIJharkhandJSPCBDamodar Member secretary of the board S K Sinha said, "National Environment Engineering Institute (NEERI) in 2010 conducted a survey on the level of pollution of Damodar river. The stretch of the river passing through Ramgarh district was found to be most polluted. A PIL was also filed in Jharkhand high court on rising pollution in the river."Board sources pointed out that the issue of rising pollution has become a major area of concern.On some of the guidelines that have been issued to various industries, Sinha said, "The fly ash discharged by various industries shouldn't be allowed to be dumped into the river. All industries should make some arrangements for the overburden (of discarded material) near the river banks. The industries, which have prepared pits to dump the fly ash, should cover it properly and create the new ones once they are full. In many towns across the state, there are no sewage treatment plants, especially in the colonies of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and the Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL). They have been instructed to set up sewage treatment plants in their colonies. Industries should follow the rule of zero discharge in these places."The member secretary said these guidelines are common for most industries, which should be followed to bring down the pollution level. "The industries have been told to report every month about the developments," Sinha added.