700-plus grossly-polluting industries asked to monitor effluent flow

NEW DELHI: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued directions to 794 grossly-polluting industries to ensure real-time monitoring of effluents by March next year, Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

Regarding the pollution of the Ganga, Union water resources minister Uma Bharati said that CPCB has issued directions to 764 GPIs, of which 444 are tanneries, for ensuring real-time monitoring of effluents by March, 2015.

Responding to another question, the minister said that of the total of 280 MLD sewage generation at Allahabad, 56 MLD is untreated. In Varanasi, 218.2 MLD sewage flow is untreated out of the 320 MLD sewage generated there.

"To augment sewage treatment capacity in Varanasi, construction of two sewage treatment plants (STP) of a total capacity of 260 MLD has been taken up," Bharati added.

As for Allahabad, four STPs of a total capacity of 105 MLD have been constructed and are under trial, she added.