An industrial estate is a composition of several different types of industries located in one area, each producing effluent of varying wastewater characteristics. Edayar Industrial estate is a cluster of industries, located on the bank of river Periyar, the longest river of the state is considered to be the life line of Central Kerala.
The concerted approach of joint or common effluent treatment provisions has many advantages. Wastewater of individual industries often contain significant concentration of pollutants, and to reduce them by individual treatment upto the desired concentration, become techno economically difficult. The combined treatment provides a better and economical option because of the equalization and treatment taking place in the CETP. However, the neutralization has to be done in the premises of individual establishments as the raw sewage is proposed to be collected through pipe to ETP.
If a common effluent treatment facility is provided for a cluster of process industries in an industrial estate or development area, the hardships of the entrepreneurs to tackle the effluent problem will be totally eliminated and they can concentrate more on the productivity of the units. Even though the total pollution caused by small industries is as much as the pollution due to big and medium size industries most of the small scale units are unable to provide treatment plants as the ratio of cost of effluent treatment plant to total project cost in a small scale industrial unit is much higher than that in a big industry. Also, regarding operating cost of effluent treatment plant, the amount to be spent per unit volume of effluent from a small industry is much more than that of a large/medium industry. The small industries can’t afford this huge expense.
If an industry is proposing to establish its own treatment system, it has to maintain proper technical man power for is operation and install separate treatment machinery. This will increase the overheads of the industry to a large extent .On the other hand, if all the trade effluents from different industries in an area are collected together in one place and a well-planned treatment operation is provided to is, the total expenditure could be reduced considerably due to better economics of scale. It may also be known that there are many schemes in operation where useful resources are recovered from effluents. A common effluent treatment plant will increase the possibility of such recoveries from the wastes. The recurring expenses for the operation and maintenance of Common Effluent Treatment Plant may be apportioned in proportion to the total pollution load send by each industry to the common effluent treatment plant.
The proposed Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in the Industrial Estate, Edayar is meant to cater to the pollution abatement requirements of a cluster of industries, which are projected to have different operational conditions. Hence, all of them would be generating effluent streams which have different characteristics.
CETP EDAYAR
Edayar Industrial Estate is located at Lattitude 1004’53’’N and at longitude 76018’28’’ E in Ernakulam district of Kerala State. This industrial belt is located on the bank of river Periyar. The land is well connected with roads and railways. Water transport is also accessible. The plot is at about 2 km from Edayar and spread over to an extent of 435 acres.
Overview of Industrial Belt
At present there are about 336 industries existing in Edayar Industrial Development Area consisting of large, medium and small type industries. . As per the basic informations collected, 126Nos are contributing effluents. Of this about 69 numbers are trade effluents.Based on pollutionyardstick these 69Industries are categorized as red category (44Nos), Orange (16Nos) and Green(9Nos).
The trade effluent contributing industries consisting of Metallurgy industries (5Nos), Petrochemical units(2Nos), Chemical industries/Catalyst(21Nos), Fertilizer/cattle feed(2Nos), Electroplating unit(7Nos), Rubber industries(7Nos), Leather industries(1No), Bone industries(1No), RMC/Concrete units(7Nos), Natural extraction units(2Nos), Paints unit (6Nos), Activated carbon/surfactants(3Nos) ,Battery unit(3Nos), Beverage unit (2Nos) .
The total quantity of water consumed per day is approximately 4500 cum per day and discharge about 75% as used water along with large quantity of effluents and pollutants. About 40 Nos are having ETP facilities, 29 nos are having preliminary treatment facilities units and rest without having adequate facility. It is known that 3 industries are having authorised outlets to Periyar and balance said to be recycling, reusing and through soak pit.
IDA Edayar, being located along the bank of Periyar river, which is demarcated among the list of polluted rivers by the findings of Hon’ble NGT, a concept of Common Effluent Treatment Plant with single discharge point to Periyar River is promised in the action plan submitted by Industries Department.
Site for the construction of proposed CETP is available in the North West Portion of the Edayar Industrial Estate which is previously occupied by Periyar Chemical Industries Which is now in Closure state. Sufficient land is available for the construction of CETP with a facility to discharge to the down stream of Pathalam regulator cum bridge of Periyar River.
SNAPS OF SITE VISIT TO CETP AT CSEZ
Progress of Work
- Team constituted in KWA for the preparation of DPR on 5/04/2021.
- 07/04/2021 VC conducted by the Director, Industries Department , TM and higher officials of KWA
- 09/04/2021 meeting convened by Industries department, CE, SE and other officers of KWA, KSPCB and representatives of Edayar Industrial Association.
- KWA demanded the clarity regarding the number and type of industries to be included in the CETP.
- Assured to transfer the details of effluent by 16/04/2021.
- Work order / Terms of reference yet to be received.
- Not yet shared due to close down of KSPCB Eloor owing to covid 19 and reminders forwarded from our side.
- Meantime we collected the available list of the parameters of the effluent related to the Industries in the belt.
- Collected from KSPCB , the copy of Environmental Audit Report 2004-2005 submitted to the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee by Local Area Environmental Committee, Kochi.
- Visited the CETP at CSEZ, Kakkanad.
- Data Collection from various sources is in progress.
Kerala’s nodal agency for Drinking Water supply and Sewerage Services