Performance Evaluation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants

                                                Foreword

The genesis of common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) for clusters of small scale industries (SSIs) dates back to the mid-eighties. I still recollect the days of our interaction with the Industry Association, Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) and the Leather Development Corporation to explore the possibilities for collective treatment of effluents from a cluster of tanneries in Vaniyamvadi, Tamil Nadu. The tanneries were not able to put up individual effluent treatment facilities due to lack of funds and space. The common effluent treatment plant designed by CLRI provided a possibility for solution to the problem. However, it was still difficult for the tanneries to meet the expenses for installation of the CETP. Hence, the cost was shared by the Central and State Government besides soft loan from the financing institutions. Thus, the CETP was commissioned in Vaniyamvadi which became a model for similar initiatives in different parts of the country. Subsequently, the World Bank came forward with funding support for the scheme. In recent times, private sector entrepreneurs have also come forward since CETP provided a business opportunity and thus pollution control through CETP is poised to become an industry by itself.



 

The present report is based on a study of CETPs located at Nandesari, Ankaleshwar and Vapi area of Gujarat State, as carried out by the West Zone Office of CPCB during the year 1999-2000 and CETPs in Uttar Pradesh as carried out by Kanpur Zonal Office. The report provides the performance assessment in respect of the treatment efficiency of the individual treatment units and the overall efficiency of the effluent treatment system.

The study was conducted by a team consisting of my colleagues in West Zone Office at Vadodara led by Dr. S.S. Bala, Zonal Officer, Shri P.K. Mirashe, Environmental Engineer and Shri K.V. Shah, Environmental Engineer and Kanpur Zonal Office led by Shri B.P. Shukla, Zonal Officer and Shri R.K. Singh, Scientist 'B' under the guidance of Dr. B. Sengupta, Member Secretary. The cooperation extended by the Industrial Associations of Nandesari, Ankaleshwar and Vapi and staff of CETP is gratefully acknowledged.
                                                                                                                                                                Dilip Biswas
                                                                                                                        Chairman, CPCB ]
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