Effluent treatment plants mandatory in all industries: Supreme Court

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar directed the state pollution control boards (PCBs) to issue common notice to all industrial units to verify whether they have set up PETPs as mandated under the legal provisions.

The bench, which also comprised Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, said on the expiry of a threemonth notice period, state PCBs should carry out inspection of the industrial units to ascertain the status of their PETPs.

If industrial units do not have functional PETPs, then they will not be allowed to function any more, the court said. The bench directed the state PCBs to ask the concerned discoms or electricity supply boards to disconnect the power supply to the defaulting industrial units.

It said the industrial units could resume functioning only after they made their PETPs functional. 

The apex court also asked the local or municipal authorities to set up Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) within three years after acquiring land and completing other formalities. The states will have to submit reports with regard to setting up of CETPs to the concerned bench of the National Green Tribunal. The bench said local civic authorities could formulate norms to levy cess from users if they face financial crunch in running and setting up of CETPs.