Over 400 water and oil-based industries in the state are violating pollution norms, reveals a recent inspection drive by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).

The norms are being flouted by small scale industries including electroplating, cloth dying and washing, power coating, among other industries. Most of the industries are located in Bengaluru.

As per waste management norms, water and oil-based industries have to discharge waste to common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) in industrial clusters. However, about 30-40 per cent of industries are not adhering to norms, said Manoj Kumar, member-secretary KSPCB to Times of India.

“During our inspection, we found that about 30% to 40% of the industries are not adhering to norms. There are cases where industries haven’t even sent one litre of effluents to the treatment plant,” Kumar said.

KSPCB has sent notice to most of the industries violating pollution norms. If the industries do not comply with the norms, criminal cases will be registered against them, says Manoj Kumar.

However, Mallesh Gowda HK, panel chairman, Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association said, “While there are some violations pertaining to CETP, we are also facing a few practical problems. The revised norms call for micro-units such as small coolant and painting firms to adhere to CETP norms and the same is proving to be costly for them.”

In March 2019, KSPCB had ordered the closure of 225 industries located in the Vrishabhavathi river catchment area for violating pollution norms and operating without its approval.

Out of 225, 47 industries were found to be violating pollution norms while others were found to be operating without the board’s approval.

The KSPCB, in its report, also stated that only 61 out of 119 apartment complexes have installed sewage treatment plants (STPs), while 51 discharged sewage waste through underground drains. 

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