Bombay high court orders action against industrial polluters

The Bombay high court has directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to initiate action against industries causing high pollution and submit an action taken report on May 3.

The court's directives came in the wake of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the state for running an ill-equipped common effluent treatment plant (CETP) in the city of Mahad. The CETPs are meant for treating industrial liquid toxic waste before releasing it into rivers or streams.

Following the court's order on March 30, the board has started round-the-clock monitoring of the CETPs across the state and identifying industries which are not adhering to environment standards.

"We have shut 11 industries in Mahad which were not complying with the norms. All the 21 CETPs in the state are being monitored round-the-clock for their performance in treating toxic industrial waste," Dattatray Devale, senior law officer, MPCB, told the Times of India.