Recently, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board took action on the polluting industries of Bahlolpur, Noida. There are some clothing industries involved in the dyeing of clothes. These industries dumped the waste generated in the process of manufacturing and dyeing clothes, in the Hindon River. It mostly contained waste dye including toxic substances. The effluent discharge was big enough to convert the whole river into red. The locals informed the authorities that they witness different colours of the river on different days. It depends on the colour used for dyeing in these industries. This issue is of great concern as the Hindon River is a tributary of the Yamuna River and a significant population depends on this river for their daily needs. Also, the pollutants of the Hindon River Pollution further pollute the Yamuna River.

Complaint against Polluting Dye Industries

A Noida resident, Abhisht Kusum Gupta took the initiative and filed a complaint in the National Green Tribunal in November 2022 about the pollution-causing industries of Bahlolpur, Noida. The applicant cited that in seven districts of Uttar Pradesh, residents, farmers and industries use the water of the Hindon River as a primary source. The applicant further informed the Tribunal about the Hindon River Pollution and the pollution-causing industries. The pollution-causing industries also include the local dyeing industries operating illegally in a village area.

Court Order on Hindon River Pollution

The National Green Tribunal last heard the application on 17th March 2023 and ordered in favour of the applicant, although the matter is still pending before the tribunal. The NGT ordered Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board to issue notices to the erring industries in this regard and a joint committee to take remedial measures to control the Hindon River Pollution without further delay and to assess the situation on the ground level. We may receive further updates on the matter in August 2023 when the Tribunal will hear it next time.

Further Development

The locals residing near the Hindon River noticed the red colour of the river, and they shared it on social media recently which grabbed the attention of authorities. Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board took immediate action and sent a team to the location. Initially, the team identified ten such dyeing industries and the number reached sixteen later on. These were all illegal dyeing industries operating near village and residential areas. The State Pollution Control Board notified the Noida Authority to shut down these industries and issued another notice to the Electricity Department to disconnect electricity supplies to these industries. Following this event, Noida Authority started cracking down on other illegally operating industries also.

Importance of Hindon River

Hindon River originates from the Shakumbhari Devi Range of Upper Shivaliks in District Saharanpur. Starting from Saharanpur, it crosses through the Districts of Muzzafarnagar, Shamli, Meerut, Baghpat, and Ghaziabad of Western Uttar Pradesh before merging with the Yamuna River in District Gautam Budh Nagar. It is a tributary of the Yamuna River and has a length of approximately 400 Km. This river has a basin area of approximately 7083 sq. km. and the main source of its water is rain. Presently, it is on the verge of dying because of the effluents which industries are discharging into this river. The toxic levels of this river are going high. Many farmers, industries and households living in the Hindon River Basin depend on the water of this river. If we do not take appropriate measures to control the effluent discharge and the Hindon River Pollution, it may cause disruptions to the population residing on the banks of this river.

How to Avoid Any Such Proceedings?

If you are also an industrialist, you must be wondering what factors caused the legal action administered by the authorities on the dyeing industries in Bahlolpur, Noida. Here are some of the points you should remember to avoid any legal proceedings against yourself-

• Ensure the land you are utilising is industrial land. The regulations do not allow the establishment of industries in the vicinity of residential areas.
• Obtain NOC from the local authorities for the establishment of your industry.
• Set up an effluent treatment system. It is mandatory for some industries, but if not then also you should preferably set it up to treat the effluents generated from your industry and avoid any unwarranted effluent discharge.
• Treat the effluents produced as part of the manufacturing process or for any other reason. You should treat the liquid waste generated from your industry before discharging and if possible you can also utilise the treated water in any further process.
• Keep the documentation complete. You should renew the licences, registrations and other documents before their validity is over.

How to Fulfil Compliances?

People do business for their profit. They invest their own money and take back the profit, which seems fair but they negatively affect the environment in this process. Now if we see it from another perspective it looks like not just his investment but the business has also consumed the natural environment to an extent. To prevent this unfair practice, governments monitor the industries and regulate them with the prescribed rules. The entrepreneurs need to take various consents and authorisations under Waste Management Rules, Air Act, Water Act etc. to minimise the environmental impact of their industry. You can use the following steps to fulfil the compliance requirements for your business-

• Identify, how the business interferes with the environment and what kind of materials you are dealing in.
• Identify the rules and regulations as applicable to such materials as e-waste management rules, plastic waste management rules etc.
• Find out the applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to set up your business as prescribed by the regulating authority.
• As per the procedure, collect the necessary documents including the company documents, personal documents and permissions, NOCs etc.
• Take help from an experienced business consulting company like Corpseed to set up your business. It avoids any possible mistakes you may make being a fresher in the domain.

Conclusion

The action taken by the authorities seems appropriate but also shows their lackadaisical attitude towards the illegal clothing industries operating in Noida. Such irregularities should be monitored by regulating bodies at regular intervals so there is no need for locals to face such difficulties. The locals also deserve appreciation for conveying this information to the authorities through social media. The complete event also highlights the role of social media, which on the one hand can eliminate the law-breakers from society while on the other hand, people use it to kill time which on a large scale creates a lacuna in the gross productivity of our nation.

The Hindon River's importance as a tributary of the Yamuna River and its reliance by farmers, industries, and households in the region emphasizes the urgency to address the effluent discharge and Hindon River Pollution and protect the river from further harm. Industrialists must adhere to proper land use, obtain necessary permits, implement effluent treatment systems, and maintain complete documentation to avoid legal proceedings and ensure compliance with environmental regulations. It is crucial for businesses to recognize their environmental impact and fulfil their compliance requirements to safeguard the environment for future generations.