Report on Jhagadia-Kantiajal effluent pipeline, Gujarat, 01/05/2020
Report by Narmada Pradushan Nivaran Samitee, Ankleshwar on the joint inspection-cum-monitoring report of the Committee dated November 2019 on Jhagadia pipeline and deep sea discharge dated 01/05/2020.
The Joint Inspection Committee (JIC) has failed to give a categorical finding on the violations of the consent conditions (CCA) in the operation of the Jhagadia-Kantiajal effluent pipeline by Narmada Clean Tech Ltd (NCTL) according to Narmada Pradushan Nivaran Samitee.
The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and a member of JIC, permitted NCTL to operate the effluent pipeline for 4 years (December 2016 - April 2020) despite continued violation of CCA. NCTL is a subsidiary of Gujarat Industrial Developent Corporation (GIDC) jointly promoted by member industries of the Ankleshwar, Jhagadia and Panoli Industrial Estates.
Narmada Pradushan Nivaran Sammittee (NPNS) said that the subsea pipeline was operating without any CETP/final effluent treatment plant (FETP) in Jhagadia estate and NCTL pipeline project. It is admitted by the Joint Inspection Committee in its report that Hydro Test was required to be conducted on a pipeline, but it had not been conducted before making the effluent pipeline operational.
"The report itself documents based upon the information supplied by NCTL 27 instances of leakages and breakages in the Jhagadia-Kantiajal effluent pipeline leading to industrial effluent contaminating the area in and around the pipeline route.
The applicant prays for the following:
1. Construction of final effluent treatment plant (FETP) at GIDC, Jhagadia as per CCA
2. Provision of 35 MLD guard pond having a capacity for 72 hours
3. Conducting hydro test for the entire length of the effluent pipeline within a specified time period
4. Till the above 3 conditions are not met, GPCB should not grant any consent to establish (CTE) to any industries
5. In the meanwhile, present effluent discharge quantity of 9.91 MLD of GIDC, Jhagadia should be conveyed to FETP Ankleshwar along with effluent of Ankleshwar and Panoli industrial estate and then convey it to Kantiajal for deep sea discharge. This was the situation from 2006 to 2016.
6. Issue a direction to appoint an independent expert agency to conduct sub-sea monitoring of 9.37 kms of off-shore portion of Jhagadia-Kantiajal effluent pipeline
7.Impose environment compensation upon NCTL for violation of CCA issued on January 27, 2017 from 2016 to 2020.
8. Constitute a committee consisting of expert members to formulate a plan for restitution of the environment, people, livelihood, livestock etc impacted by the operation of Jhagadia-Kantiajal effluent pipeline keeping in mind the interim environment compensation imposed by GPCB.
9. Pass a direction to GPCB to initiate prosecution against relevant officials of NCTL under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 for violation of CCA issued on January 27, 2017.