More than 600 dyeing and printing units in the small town of Pali in Rajasthan, face a shutdown over water pollution concerns. It is estimated that 34 million litres of industrial emissions are being discharged per day from four water treatment plants into the nearby Bandi river. In March, the National Green Tribunal ordered suspension of work in units that did not have the consent to operate; nearly 90 per cent of the units did not have the approval.
The units remained closed for about three weeks before being allowed to resume operations temporarily. The tribunal will hear the units’ cases again on July 10. An environmental group says the industrial units are drawing 50 million litres of groundwater daily, which is lowering the water table. They say that zero discharge systems be installed and that the recycling of water would also ensure long-term availability of water for the industry.
